Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/2247/-1/135/
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WOMEN DEMAND HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY POSTS
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A strong call has been made for women on the island to be appointed to all three posts of Speaker, First and Second Nominated Members in the Anguilla House of Assembly. The demand was made at the opening ceremony of a workshop held at the Tourist Board’s conference room on Tuesday, March 8, in observance of International Women’s Day.
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Head table with Mrs. Hodge-Carty, Dr. Adams, Ms. Rogers, Mrs. Hoyoung and Mr. Banks
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Chairperson of the ceremony, Ernie Hodge-Carty, said the workshop was organised by the National Council of Women and the Ministry of Human Rights and Gender Affairs.
Feature address speaker, Merlyn Rogers (Marketing Director of the Anguilla Tourist Board), spoke on the topic: “Gender Equality Beyond 2005, Building a More Secure Future.” She suggested that equality must focus on both women and men rather than on activities and should be seen as a development objective, rather than merely a measure of participation.
She argued that the call for women representation in the House of Assembly should not therefore be slighted. “When women are elected or nominated to the Anguilla House of Assembly it is not done merely to be politically correct,” she said. “It is done as a means of valuing the meaningful contribution that women have made and continue to make in the overall developmental process.”
Miss Rogers, spoke in some detail on the many challenges facing women around the world and the critical issues of gender equality and the need to take extraordinary measures to deal with the problems.
“We here in Anguilla, like women across every corner of the world, must start taking those extraordinary measures, She went on. “We must stand poised and ready to help shape our part of the world of the future…We have to organise demonstrations to draw attention to issues that concern us. Whatever we have to do, let us ensure that women in Anguilla in 2005 will be the driving force for change. Let us start where we have started – demanding emphatically that there are women in the House of Assembly. Demand that there be research as to why cancer is increasing among women in Anguilla and that there be aggressive treatment alternatives available on the island.”
Lana Hoyoung, Principal Assistant Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office (with responsibility for Gender Affairs), also reviewed many of the difficulties facing women and the family and called for protective legislation. Among other things, she called on Government to embody the principles of equality of men and women in the revision of the Constitution; to have gender equity by having women nominated in the legislature.
“Congratulations to you, sir, on your victory at the polls but your victory will not be complete until you put women in the House,” she said to Acting Chief Minister, Victor Banks. “We therefore on International Womens’ Day declare that women have a right to be part of the legislature; and we call on the Government of Anguilla to do so by either having women in the post of Speaker of the House, First Nominated Member or Second Nominated Member….
“We believe our men can be more functional when they have women by their side… We call on you to take our message forward and to ensure that we stand at your side in the economic and social development of this country over the next five years.”
Mr. Banks, who spoke earlier during the ceremony, noted that world-wide the millennium development goals were that ways and means should be put into place for women to aspire to positions of decision-making and authority within the communities.
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Women representing various interests
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“It is therefore important that we as Anguillians should also ensure that governments put the issues relating to the development goals of women in the policies and programmes they put in place,” Mr Banks said.
He pointed out that the Anguilla United Front’s Manifesto provided for the promotion of gender equality to eliminate all forms of discrimination. “The Government which now has the mandate to administer the affairs of this country for the next five years, has taken cognizance of the importance and significance of women being involved in the governing process and that consultation at all levels must include women in enabling us to arrive at decisions that would lead to the positive development of Anguilla.”
The opening ceremony was followed by two workshop sessions conducted by Dr. Patvin Adams on Health Security 2005 and Beyond; and by Wanda Brooks, Properties Supervisor at D3 Enterprises on Family Health and Insurance. A plenary session and group discussions and the formulation of a proposal also took place. The Moderator was Susan Hodge of the Chief Minister’s Office.