Womens Council Established: Members Named
Minister Neletha Butterfield announced the members of the new womens council today (Oct 18) saying “The Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation, through the Department of Human Affairs, had undertaken a review of the 1997 report of the task force on women’s issues…..and, that I was placing a renewed focus on women with the intention of creating a women’s council. Today, I am pleased to say that I have fulfilled my promise.“
The members are:
- 1. Laurie Shiell (Chairperson) – Centre of Abuse
- 2. Melody Parris (Deputy Chairperson)
- 3. Nancy Vieira – General Public
- 4. Elaine Williams – Womens Resource Center
- 5. Keitha Lowe – Integrated Global Management
- 6. Patty-Ann Flood – Bermuda Professional Womens Association
- 7. Dorothy Trott –Bermuda Business & Professional Womens Club
- 8. Lynn Wade – BPSU
- 9. Ronnie Burgess – BIU
- 10. Beverley Jones- BJ Ministries
- 11. Keisha Douglas – Bermuda Union of Teachers
- 12. Jennifer Smatt-Adkins – Centre for Leadership
- 13. Ruby Smith – New Testament Church of God
- 14. Jane Brett – Government Representative
- 15. Judy Hall-Bean – Government Representative
- 16. Judith Gardner – Government Representative
- 17. Dianna Taylor – Government Representative
The Minister also said the Ministry will send a team to represent Bermuda at the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women Conference in Anguilla later this month, and that she expects that Bermuda will become a signatory when the convention is extended to the island in 2011.
Would have been nice if they (the council or Minister) had expanded on this announcment – spoke to mandates/objectives etc……..
She did actually, so the error is all ours.
Here is a snippet of her speech below, ref mandate etc:
THE WOMEN’S COUNCIL, CHAIRED BY MS LAURIE SHIELL WILL REVIEW AND CARRY OUT THE 7 REMAINING RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 1997 TASK FORCE ON WOMEN’S ISSUES REPORT. THEY WILL ALSO BE CHARGED WITH REVIEWING AND ASSESSING THE CURRENT STATUS OF WOMEN IN BERMUDA AND RECOMMENDING ANY NECESSARY LEGISLATIVE CHANGES, POLICY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMMES.
THE WOMEN’S COUNCIL WILL BE VIBRANT AND PRO-ACTIVE – REFLECTING THE DIVERSITY OF SOCIETY, ENCOURAGING INFORMED POLITICAL DECISION MAKING AND PUBLIC ATTITUDES FOR THE WELL BEING OF SOCIETY, THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION, CONSULTATION AND C-OPERATION.
THE MANDATE OF THE COUNCIL WILL BE TO EMPOWER WOMEN TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR WOMEN, FAMILIES AND SOCIETY. IN PARTICULAR, THEIR MANDATE WILL BE TO:
(1) CARRY OUT THE SEVEN (7) RELEVANT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE 1997 FINAL REPORT OF THE TASK FORCE ON WOMEN’S ISSUES;(2) IDENTIFY SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, ECONOMIC, LEGISLATIVE OR POLITICAL FACTORS, POLICIES, BARRIERS OR STRUCTURES THAT PREVENT THE FULL PARTICIPATION IN ANY ASPECT OF BERMUDA LIFE; AND, (3) MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MINISTER ON LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY INITIATIVES, SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND SUCH OTHER INITIATIVES REQUIRED TO DEAL WITH AREAS IDENTIFIED AS REQUIRING ACTION.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN AFFAIRS, WHICH HAS THE MANDATE FOR WOMEN’S ISSUES AND GENDER EQUALITY, WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO THE WOMEN’S COUNCIL.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOCUS ON WOMEN AND WOMEN’S ISSUES…BUT THERE IS NO SINGLE GROUP THAT HAS A BROAD REMIT FOR WOMEN’S AFFAIRS. TO THIS END, THE WOMEN OF BERMUDA WILL NOW HAVE A BODY WHICH REPRESENTS THEM WITH THEIR VIEWS AND EXPERIENCES TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN POLICIES ARE MADE WITH RESPECT TO WOMEN’S EQUALITY.
Oh – Great! Thanks Pat! You’re still awesome!
Reality is a bitch. Pat your something else.
Bill Zuill would have had his minions on this and had saly and fruit cake for lunch………………………………………..