Williams-Grant Says Female Representation in Parliament Still “Not Enough”
Senate President Alincia Williams-Grant on Wednesday called for greater female participation in politics, saying women remain underrepresented in both houses of Parliament despite gains in the Senate.
Speaking during the ceremonial opening of the Senate following the April 30 general election, Williams-Grant noted that women now hold seven of the 17 seats in the Upper House but said the numbers still fall short.
“But we’re only at 41%. Seven out of 17 — we’re still not there,” she told senators.
The Senate President pointed to even lower representation in the House of Representatives, where only two women currently serve.
“And worse off in the lower house. Only two out of 17. You do the math. So we have a lot of work to do,” Williams-Grant said.
She urged women across political lines to continue pushing for greater representation and participation in national leadership.
“Put on your hat as a nationalist, as a feminist, if you choose to identify with that terminology, as a woman, to say we need to do better in representation in the representation politics that we have in this country,” she said.
Williams-Grant also encouraged female senators to become involved in parliamentary outreach and leadership initiatives aimed at mentoring young women.
“So let’s not rest on our laurels, women of Antigua and Barbuda. We have some work to do,” she added.
The Senate President also congratulated women who contested the general election, describing their decision to seek office as “a tremendous accomplishment in itself.”
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Here here ladies, and well highlighted as well.
The way that males have been running the Antigua & Barbuda since Lester Bird leaves a lot to be desired.
I’m an ardent supporter of promoting through hard work and merit; but this just isn’t the case for so many Antiguan women – unless you are married to a Prime Minister.
99.9% of the women mentioned here have made amazing progress to get where they are thus far in this over-bloated (opps! Sorry Cutie) male dominated political arena.
Hopefully, this is just the beginning of more women pursuing a career in Antiguan politics; and then go on to show the men that they are more than capable of eventually running this beautiful country.
Brixtonian, if you talk of deserving through hard work there is none more deserving that MaRare Browne.
She has to work day and night from her school days to now.
She apparently is the only government ministers’ wife who is alive.
Chets wife is not even deserving of holding his coat’s tail on ceremonial occasions.
He is not proud of her.
He never attends any function with her.
She is not worth of being in the Canadian embassy let alone in our parliament.
I have never heard any mention of Daryll having a wife.
Cutie’s “play mama wife” is good only as a polling agent on elections day.
Max is continuing his cultural beliefs.
Syrians and Lebanese wives belong in the house.
Freeland’s wife is not recognized in Antigua.
Since Anthony “Babyface Judas Six Million Dollars” Smith was sworn in on the first occasion as a minister we have not seen the doctor.
Michael Joseph doesn’t believe in one woman so he will never marry.
Anytime any of the women crosses him he beats the crap off them and gets arrested and charged.
Dwayne knows why Gaston at forst rejected him until they saw that Samantha was dead weight.
Hopefully one day the veil will be broken and we will see what is hidden behind it.
So Brixtonian, any woman you see around labour are just the “nuff and edge up” ones.
Lester Bird preffered the teens and Spanish.
He said that they made love better.
@Straight Talk, I respect your forthright opinion and your right to say so. Your defence of the Prime Minister’s wife Maria Bird-Browne is rather admirable. I must say 👍🏾
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