Vincentian Authors Officially Launch “I Do Not Consent
Vincentian authors Shefflorn and Ann-Marie Ballantyne officially launched their latest book, I Do Not Consent: The Vincentian Chapter of the COVID-19 Plandemic, at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers’ Union Headquarters on the evening of Thursday, August 13th.
The launch fulfilled a promise the authors made when they released the Kindle edition online on November 19, 2025, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the November 2021 vaccine mandate implemented by the then-ULP administration. At that time, they had committed to holding an official in-person launch in 2026.
The August 13th event drew representatives from the executive of the SVG Teachers’ Union and the Public Service Union, the Thusian Institute for Religious Liberty Inc. (TIRL) and the Thusia SDA Church, members of the media, radio hosts and social activists Frank Da Silva and Joel Abraham, and activists Adriana King and Kenson King, among other guests.
During the event, the authors traced the book’s writing journey and their inspiration, holding the audience’s attention as they reflected on the experiences of fellow workers dismissed under the November 2021 mandate. Recalling their interviews with affected individuals who agreed to share their stories for the book, the authors said:
“To hear how families’ lives had been disrupted, parents separated from their children to sustain their household, children’s university studies cut short, people forced to give up their homes or leave them in a state of disrepair, teachers reduced to selling snacks or provisions on the street just to make ends meet, was heartbreaking. Worse still were the stories of those who were injured or died from the jab, leaving children behind and their families in grief and hardship. In the face of all that suffering, we had a callous government, with a Prime Minister rubbing salt in our wounds by justifying the mandate even after evidence was available that the jab was unsafe and ineffective, and who was still insisting that workers had abandoned their jobs.”
Special remarks were delivered by the Teachers’ Union’s current and immediate past presidents, Mrs. Fiona Charles-Williams and Mr. Oswald Robinson respectively, and by TIRL Associate Director Mrs. Anesia Baptiste, who shared updates on recent revelations from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s diary. Mrs. Baptiste said the book was important for “record, history and inspiration,” adding that the latest revelations further validated the authors’ stance against the vaccine and the mandate.
A lively, frank discussion followed, with invitees sharing their own experiences under the mandate – including being locked out of their workplaces and feeling pressured to take the vaccine because of mortgage obligations.
Newly appointed Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr. Brenton Smith, who was in attendance, congratulated the authors and said the evening was a touching experience that brought back memories of “the difficult times we had.”
Reflecting on the event afterward in a personal Facebook post, Smith wrote:
“The evening was well attended, but for me, it was much more than a book launch. As the authors gave their historical account and reflected on the experiences surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, many painful memories came flooding back. There were moments when I felt I needed to step outside simply to compose myself, yet I did not want to miss a single word. I was reminded of the insults, humiliation, uncertainty and hardship that many persons endured, including members of my own organization. People were placed in extremely difficult circumstances because of their decision not to comply with the vaccine mandate. Families were affected, livelihoods were disrupted, careers were interrupted, and relationships within workplaces were deeply strained.”
The event, themed “Be a Part of the Conversation,” was designed as an interactive discussion, with the authors encouraging attendees to keep the conversation alive.
About the Book
I Do Not Consent: The Vincentian Chapter of the COVID-19 Plandemic documents the experiences of Vincentian workers affected by the November 2021 vaccine mandate, drawing on first-hand interviews with those impacted.
