TriniView.com

PNM's Women in Politics Workshop

PNM's Women in Politics Workshop
PNM's Women in Politics Workshop

TriniView.com Reporters
Event Date: April 14, 2007
Posted: April 25, 2006


On Saturday 14 April, 2007, the Minister of Education, Mrs. Hazel Manning, outlined her concern that boys are falling behind academically while mentioning that girls are outperforming boys in the education system. She acknowledged that the education system is not working as it should as 70 percent of students are leaving school without certification, but mentioned that there was a lot of resistance to school reform. Mrs. Manning was speaking at a workshop on Women In Politics organized by the PNM's National Women's League.

Mrs. Manning also challenged the statement that politics is a natural endgame for women based on the stereotype that women understand how to stay within a budget and teach moral values. She later stated that it is only a matter of time before there is going to be a female President and a female Prime Minster.

The workshop sought to address the success and challenges that women have had in politics over the years. Scores of women, both experienced and those wanting to enter politics, were there to listen to the perspectives of experienced politicians.

The workshop started with a presentation by Minister Eulalie James who spoke about her entry into politics as a community worker and iterated that being a politician is not only about getting the roads paved and lights fixed, or about status and where one can reach personally, but is one that requires humility and caring. She further shared many of her personal experiences in politics over the twenty-four years she has been in politics.

Penelope Beckles, Minister of Public Utilities and the Environment, dealt directly with the topic "Women in Politics" and mentioned that the world figure for women in parliament is 15 percent while for Trinidad it is 25 percent. She observed that the figures set for minimum female participation in parliament determined at a conference in Beijing, China in 1995 had not been met.

Minister Beckles further pointed out the differential socialization of males and females in that females are conditioned to serve while males are conditioned to lead. She said that politics is hard work, and those who do not want to work hard should not enter the arena.

At one interesting moment in her speech she asked the audience, of all the professions, who are the people who they trust the most. After audience members offered various answers, she asked who they trusted the least. When the audience instantly said politicians she replied that it is ironic that some of them want to be politicians, and most of them would be supporting and/or campaigning for persons who they themselves do not trust. She further asked the audience how many of them could comfortably convince others to support persons who they themselves do not trust.

Marilyn Gordon, former Minister of National Security was the last presenter of the workshop, and she pointedly asked those gathered what will be the legacy that they will leave. Noting that people enter politics for various reasons, she emphasized that what you do while in office will follow you for the rest of your life. She said that the most important persons in politics in Trinidad and Tobago are the activists, and urged the audience to be active in their communities and to represent the interests of their communities.

PNM's Women in Politics Workshop in pictures:
www.triniview.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=169253



People's National Movement | Homepage | Special Events | Photo Gallery