{"id":237926,"date":"2025-05-21T17:02:46","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T21:02:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=237926"},"modified":"2025-05-21T17:10:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T21:10:26","slug":"hilson-brother-b-baptist-laid-to-rest-with-celebration-of-loyalty-service-and-community-spirit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/hilson-brother-b-baptist-laid-to-rest-with-celebration-of-loyalty-service-and-community-spirit\/","title":{"rendered":"Hilson \u2018Brother B\u2019 Baptist Laid to Rest with Celebration of Loyalty, Service, and Community Spirit"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hilson \u2018Brother B\u2019 Baptist Laid to Rest with Celebration of Loyalty, Service, and Community Spirit<\/strong><\/p>

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Hilson \u201cBrother B\u201d Baptist, the former Member of Parliament for St Mary\u2019s South and beloved community figure, was laid to rest today following an emotional and celebratory funeral service marked by tributes to his unwavering loyalty, grassroots activism, and unmatched love for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official service took place before a large congregation of mourners, including family, friends, political colleagues, and constituents, all gathered to honour the life of a man described as \u201cremarkable,\u201d \u201cunique,\u201d and \u201clarger than life.\u201d<\/p>

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Delivering the sermon, Venerable Isaiah Phillip urged mourners not to be overtaken by sorrow but to \u201ccelebrate a life that was well lived.\u201d<\/p>

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Quoting from Wisdom 3:1 \u2014 \u201cBut the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them\u201d<\/em> \u2014 Phillip reflected on Baptist\u2019s enduring legacy of public service and deep personal loyalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was loyal to his constituents, to his family, to his political organisation, and to his country,\u201d Phillip said. \u201cBut today, we are challenged to move that loyalty to a higher level \u2014 loyalty to Christ and the church.\u201d<\/p>

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The preacher recalled his own encounters with Baptist, particularly after Hurricane Luis devastated the parish church in All Saints in 1998. He credited Baptist\u2019s quiet yet effective mobilisation of support as instrumental in restoring the building and uniting the community. \u201cHe inspired me at a time when I was weary, and I never forgot it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baptist, who passed away on 16 May at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre at the age of 77, served as MP for St Mary\u2019s South from 1994 to 2014. First elected under the United National Democratic Party, he later became a prominent figure in the United Progressive Party, winning four consecutive terms.<\/p>

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His wife, Ithlane Baptiste, painted a vivid portrait of a man rooted in his community, who was as comfortable serving meals at his Long Street restaurant as he was in Parliament.<\/p>

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\u201cHe was equally joyful cradling a toddler or hugging an elderly woman,\u201d she said. \u201cHe ruled the situations \u2014 situations never ruled him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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