Gender discrimination remains in the constitution of an independent Bahamas

Struggle For Gender Equality

By TANEKA THOMPSON

tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

Nassau, The Bahamas:


As the country gears up to celebrate its 41st anniversary of independence this week, it is clear that Bahamians do have many reasons to be thankful.  We have a stable government, the stagnant economy appears to be slowly getting better and while crime and a high rate of joblessness continue to plague our country, things are not so bad.

However the gender discrimination that remains in our constitution is a glaring reminder that the Christie administration has thus far failed to live up to its promise to hold a referendum to address the issue which puts Bahamian women at a disadvantage to their male counterparts.

The government missed its third self-imposed deadline for the constitutional referendum on gender equality last month. After it botched the gambling referendum in January 2013, it is no wonder that the Christie administration is hesitant to get the ball rolling on another similar process. However while the government was quick to galvanise the gambling vote (which mattered little in the grand scheme of things considering the Christie administration has disregarded the results of that poll and still plans to go ahead with the regulation the web shop sector) it seems slow to act on a referendum that will impact future generations of Bahamians.

Disappointment

Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, who served as minister of state for social development in the last Ingraham administration, told Insight she is “livid” at the repeated delays in the constitutional reform process.  She lamented the fact that the government seems hell-bent on regulating the underground web shop sector but has dragged its feet in bringing about constitutional reform.

“As a young nation, 41 years of age, we have had ample time to get it right,” she said.  “We’ve been promised, we’ve been hoodwinked, we’ve been really lied to from last year.  On July 10, 2013 we were supposed to celebrate the first year of full equality for women.  Here we are at our 41st year, a year later, and the government has misled the people again.  They (fell down) in their commitment to do what is right.

“Bahamian women, Bahamian families, should be enraged that this government has not seen fit to do the right thing,” she added.  “But yet, here we are concerned about appeasing a small group of individuals in terms of gambling, even after the referendum.  The government is spending huge resources to make sure that these people (web shop bosses) are catered to.  Women should be outraged at the fact that the government places less importance and emphasis on them, their families and their children and more emphasis on their benefactors who they wish to appease.”

George Smith, a Cabinet minister in the Pindling administration, was one of several who helped frame the country’s constitution ahead of independence in 1973.  He said he hoped the government would have held a constitutional referendum by now to not only remove the discrimination against women, but to hopefully address some of the other pertinent recommendations for reform made by the Constitutional Commission.

“We felt it was not a major issue at the time,” he told Insight, when asked why the discriminatory provision against women was included in the constitution.  “Those of us who went to London in the cold month of December in 1972 knew that once we attained independence, all those other things could be dealt with. But the prevailing view at the time was that women followed the domicile of their husbands.”

“No one at the time thought women were unequal,” he added.  “There wasn’t that feeling.  It wasn’t an issue that was front and centre on the agenda at the time to deal with.  It wasn’t given the attention that today we probably wished we would have given it. It wasn’t a deliberate and considered act against women, it just wasn’t front and centre at the time.”

Still Mr Smith believes the country’s constitution is not a flawed document and added that the issues that need to be addressed in the document do not reflect poorly on the country.

“In fact, we have fared well over the last 41 years, we have issues but we have a constitution that many have been content with but for those issues, gender inequality and others, it’s a constitution that has served us well,” Mr Smith told Insight.  “Generally (as a country) we’ve done well.  We’re very stable, we have an economy that’s resilient and it will get much better. Sometimes it’s easy to look at what’s wrong with the government, every country in the world has challenges.”

Promises and delays

Speaking in the House of Assembly in July 2012, Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell first announced the government’s intent to try to right one of the Progressive Liberal Party’s wrongs.  Ten years after the PLP contributed to the failure of the first referendum which aimed, among other things, to remove the entrenched constitutional discrimination against Bahamian women, Mr Mitchell revealed the government’s plans to hold a referendum, that if successful, would grant Bahamian women the same rights as Bahamian men to pass citizenship on to their children.

“The government is committed to removing the constitutional anomaly which exists with regard to women and the ability to pass on their citizenship to their children,” Mr Mitchell said in 2012.

He added: “The government proposes to amend those provisions in the constitution with regard to discrimination against women, so that it is clear that gender cannot be a reason to discriminate against an individual.”

At the time the Fox Hill MP said the planned vote would take place within the Christie administration’s five-year term. Since then, Prime Minister Perry Christie has announced several different deadlines for the vote, all dates the government has missed, leaving women to wonder how seriously this government takes the issue.

The Prime Minister had said initially the vote would take place by June of last year, ahead of the country’s 40th anniversary of independence.   However in February 2013, Mr Christie announced in Parliament that he had postponed the vote until late November of that year. He said he was acting on advice of Sean McWeeney, QC, and chairman of the Constitutional Commission.  He added that the delay would give the government more time to launch an extensive education campaign and dialogue with the public on the important process.

“This is an extremely important undertaking, one that is vital to the orderly growth and development of our constitutional democracy, and the rights and freedoms we hold so dear.  Indeed, I would go further and suggest that the process of constitutional reform is vital to the growth and development of our civilisation as a sovereign people,” Mr Christie said at the time.

But last October, Mr Christie announced that the November 2013 date had been postponed.  He then said the process would take place by the end of June this year, after an extensive educational campaign.

The Constitutional Commission made its report to the government last July. In its report, the commission outlined 73 recommendations for constitutional reform.

The bills needed to effect the referendum were expected to be brought to Parliament by the end of last year.  Mr Christie had also promised that these bills would have passed through the chambers of Parliament by February this year: however the bills have yet to be tabled.

When asked about the matter at the end of June, Minister of National Security Dr Bernard Nottage could not give the media a new date for the proposed vote.

“I cannot say anything other than preparations are being made for the constitutional referendum,” said Dr Nottage, who has ministerial responsibility for referenda. “Draft bills have been prepared and are being looked at.  There will not be a referendum until such time as they have educated the majority of the public and that process will begin shortly.”

Second time around

In 2002, the government, led by former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, held a referendum that asked voters, among other things, if they supported the removal of constitutional discrimination against women.

The majority of people who voted in that poll said no to all five questions.

More than 60 per cent of people who voted said no to the first question on that ballot, which asked voters to remove discrimination against women, their children and spouses in the constitution.

The PLP, which was in opposition at the time and led by Mr Christie, urged the electorate to vote no citing a flawed process.  However the PLP had earlier supported the constitutional bills when they were brought to the House of Assembly for debate and a vote.

The Bahamas Christian Council also protested the constitutional referendum and had admonished the government from rushing through the process.

As we rightly celebrate the country’s independence this week, we must be grateful for the blessings this country has received.  However, I think we must also demand progression from our government and hold elected officials to their promises.

Since beginning his second term, the Prime Minister has waxed poetically about the need for reform and the importance of placing women on equal footing with men.

Last year, Mr Christie said that the government hopes to amend the citizenship provisions of the constitution “to achieve full equality between men and women with respect to the acquisition and transmission of Bahamian nationality.”

However we have heard such promises from Mr Christie before.  It is left to be seen if the work of the Constitutional Commission will be in vain or if the government will get the job done and complete a process which should have been over and done with more than a decade ago.

• What do you think? Email comments to tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

Tribune 242

Bahamas: ...Is there a glass ceiling for Bahamian women in politics?

Is there a glass ceiling for Bahamian women in politics?

By Melisa Hall

Margaret Thatcher, England’s first female prime minister, stated that “if you want something said ask a man and if you want something done ask a woman”.

I feel that this quote is so relevant to the success of the political party that will be victorious because no matter what your political affiliation is, if you are seeking to be victorious in this election it’s going to take the support of the Bahamian female voter.

This was confirmed nationally on April 10, where it was reported that Hubert Ingraham stated: “Women will decide the outcome of the next general election.”

The statistics indicated that registered female voters outnumber male registered voters by 20,000 – of which we all know is not surprising.  When we take an international perspective, we see that in the United States there is also much political debate about the role that women will play in its elections, and the echo remains the same:  Women will decide who wins the 2012 election.

With statistics and statements like these, it clearly indicates how significant, powerful and influential we are as women.  We have the power to make or break things, we determine who will win or lose, consequently our individual decisions will corporately and politically impact our nation.

However, if we as Bahamian women have so much power and influence to make such determinations for our country, why are we so underrepresented in the political arena and why have we yet to elect a female prime minister?   Is this trend indicative of the notion that politics is a man’s world and women belong in their homes and should remain in the private realm as opposed to the public realm?

Women in politics

While we must acknowledge the significant strides women have made in politics there is indeed a grave level of underrepresentation.   Under the current government administration there are only five female members of Parliament out of the 41.   They are Loretta Butler-Turner and Verna Grant from the Free National Movement (two).  And from the Progressive Liberal Party there are three, which include Glenys Hanna-Martin, Cynthia “Mother” Pratt and Melanie Griffin.

When we look at the female political candidates who have had the courage to step forward to either enter or remain in the political arena we see that there is hope for an increase in the representation of women in politics.   The Free National Movement has nine female candidates, the Progressive Liberal Party has five and the Democratic National Alliance has six female candidates.

Having said that, we see that women in The Bahamas have ascended and advanced to high ranking official positions like that of female presidents of the Court of Appeal, governor general, heads of the Senate and, as mentioned, members of Parliament.   But the only time we have seen any female rise anywhere near the position of prime minister other than in the capacity of “acting” was under the Progressive Liberal Party administration when Cynthia “Mother” Pratt was the deputy prime minister.

Therefore, we must ask the question as to whether or not there exists for Bahamian women in politics a glass ceiling, as we have yet to see equal representation in Parliament or even near the 30 percent desired quota that is advanced and advocated around the world for women representation in Parliament.

When we take a look globally and even more closely at our Caribbean sister nations, we see that culturally there has been an acceptance of female prime ministers and presidents like Portia Simpson Miller in Jamaica, Kamla Persad-Bissessar in Trinidad and Tobago, the late Janet Jagan of Guyana, the late Dame Eugenia Charles of Dominica, who served for 15 years, and Margaret Thatcher, the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, who served for a period of 10 years.

From a biblical perspective, we see that women like Deborah and Esther were instrumental in saving nations.   For example, when the Israelities were oppressed by Jabin the King of Canaan, Deborah prevailed upon Barak, the head captain of the army, to face the Assyrian General Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s Army in battle.   With the help of Barak and Jael, another woman, the Israelites achieved an unlikely victory over Sisera’s force and there was peace in the land for 40 years.

In a radio interview on Gems 105.9 on April 14, on the weekly women’s radio show, “Business, Money & Women”, I asked two courageous female political candidates of their opinions as to whether or not they felt there was a glass ceiling for Bahamian women in politics and why they felt The Bahamas has yet to elect a female prime minister.  Both candidates shared similar opinions.  Kelphene Cunningham, the Democratic Nation Alliance (DNA) candidate for Garden Hills, said she did not think that there exists a glass ceiling and that it’s all about timing and at the right time we as women would achieve that major accomplishment.

Cleola Hamilton, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) candidate for South Beach, said there were no limits to what we can accomplish as women and that gender does not play a significant role in what one achieves.

I must say that I admire both of these women for offering themselves for political service at such a crucial time like this.   However, does this mean that perhaps in our next generation we would see the rise of a female prime minister?

According to the historical data we see that women can handle power and that we can and will take charge where and when we are needed.   Women are indeed breaking down barriers around the world and shattering the so-called “glass ceiling”.  While there are many mixed opinions about “the glass ceiling” notion I want you to know that while it is real and wrong, we as women must be careful not to create our own ceilings by placing virtual limits upon ourselves to explain our lack of progress, disappointments and circumstances beyond our control.

While we need more powerful women represented in Parliament, it does not mean that we must take power away from men to accomplish this.   What we need to do is create and embrace our own power.

When will we break through?

We should note that in the past we have seen many other Bahamian women break glass ceilings in their respective areas, like that of Janet Bostwick who was the first female member of Parliament elected, attorney general of The Bahamas and the first to act as deputy prime minister; Dame Ivy Dumont, first female governor general of The Bahamas; Italia Johnson, the first female speaker of the House of Assembly; Dr. Doris Johnson, the first female president of the Senate, with Sharon Wilson as the second; Ruby Ann Cooper-Darling, first woman to register to vote.

We also see that as we study the lives of successful women that women do have the power to break through barriers, ceilings, or societal limitations that may arise.   However, we as women must work together to help each other succeed.  When one of us succeeds we all succeed.

For those of you who may have career, entrepreneurial or political aspirations but perceive that there is a glass ceiling that may prevent you from progressing, here are few things you can do to achieve your goals to shatter the glass above your head.

1. Be courageous and strategic: Have a plan for your career and for the climb up the political ladder.   Network strategically with men and women.  Find a mentor and a coach.   Have a system and a support system.

2. Be prepared to take risks: Remember Queen Esther in the Bible.   She was automatically excluded because of her background and where she came from, and she could have claimed a “glass ceiling exemption”.  She yet went from orphan to Queen by stepping out of her traditional role to change the course of history.

3. Be prepared, have a strong sense of purpose, confidence and patience: You must prepare yourself, educationally, financially, spiritually and politically.   Know what your purpose is and be confident in knowing that while obstacles and trials may come you have the power to overcome and break through barriers.

4. Remember successful people leave clues: You should study the lives of successful women to see how did they break through, what set them apart and what skills or expertise they possessed.

As we prepare to go to the voting polls on May 7, it is important that we as women make sound decisions about the future of this nation which will affect future generations.   Remember the power that is within us to merge together to make a difference and that as we are the determining persons who will decide who wins the election, we will also decide whether or not we will become personally empowered to play a significant political role in our government.

Finally, we must ask ourselves in which generation will we follow suit and elect a female prime minister?   Is it in my generation, or my daughter’s generation?

• MELISA HALL is an attorney, advocate for women empowerment and business coach.  To find out more information you may contact her at 341-2204, reach her via Facebook, Twitter or email her at:kwibsuccess@gmail.com

Apr 27, 2012

thenassauguardian

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and look forward to the 50th anniversary of the Women’s Suffrage Movement in The Bahamas...We must examine the role that the Bahamian woman plays in the social and economic development of our nation - The Bahamas... ...We must encourage our Bahamian women who feel trapped ...to take the limits off of their minds and become innovative to find ways to progress economically

Economic empowerment for women through entrepreneurship

By Melisa Hall

Nassau, The Bahamas

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and look forward to our 50th anniversary of the Women’s Suffrage Movement in The Bahamas, we certainly salute, honor and recognize all of those Bahamian pioneers and trailblazers who have made significant strides and accomplishments that we the women of the 21st century are beneficiaries of.

As we continue to cherish the historic moments, successes, victories and challenges they overcame to empower women socially, economically, politically and nationally, it is only fitting that we also use this occasion to take an introspective look and evaluate where we are on the global scale of economic empowerment for women.

We must examine the role that the Bahamian woman plays in the social and economic development of our nation.   Here are a few questions we should consider:

• Are we consistent carriers of a progressive movement towards educating, enhancing and empowering our women to have a voice across the board in all equal facets of the economy?

• In what ways can we continue to contribute to the development of our younger generation to appreciate and value the significance of the Bahamian woman?

• What role is the government playing in developing and creating initiatives to empower and promote the advancement of women and is this an area that is often overlooked?

• Are there others mechanisms we can implement corporately or individually to open avenues for women to succeed?

Over the past few years and in recent times I have had the privilege and opportunity to meet so many women while hosing the annual business conferences for women, namely Kingdom Women in Business (KWIB).

What was and still is apparent to me is that most of these women sincerely aspire to be and do more for themselves professionally and economically, but oftentimes regardless of their marital status be it single or married, many of them feel trapped, restricted and prohibited; trapped in abusive relationships, restricted by their social peers and prohibited by their male counterparts especially in the workplace.   In most cases they simply feel financially bound.

We must therefore train and teach our youth and adult women, especially those who have found themselves in a pit, that through the power of God, belief in themselves along with timely information, tools and initiatives that there is a way to the palace.

As we can see from our heroines like Dame Doris Johnson, Mary Ingraham, Mabel Walker, Georgianna Symonette, Eugenia Lockhart, Althea Mortimer, Albertha Isaacs, Grace Wilson, Mildred Moxey, Ethel Kemp, Gladys Bailey and Madge Brown, Janet Bostwick, just to name a few, the road and journey was not easy but it is possible to make significant achievements as a woman.

We must continue to advocate for equal opportunities for women socially, economically, politically, constitutionally, corporately, nationally and most certainly legally.   We must encourage our Bahamian women who feel trapped to take the limits off of their minds and become innovative to find ways to progress economically.

Personally, I want to challenge every woman who may feel suppressed, oppressed and depressed to use this time of reflection to position yourself to succeed.

One of the ways you can do this is through entrepreneurship.   Entrepreneurship, while challenging, will build your confidence and will definitely teach you the art of becoming economically empowered.

Here are three preliminary steps you can take towards becoming an entrepreneur.

1. Discover your purpose: Take an inventory and assessment of your skills, gifts, talents, strengths and weaknesses.   Be true to yourself and identify what it is you were born and created to do.   This is usually something you are really good at or would even enjoy doing even if you did not get paid to do it.   There is indeed something unique inside of you.

2. Have a plan and a vision: Imagine where you would want to be in the future and create a step by step process to get there.   Remember there is a process.   Know where you are and seek help through a mentor, coach or professional who can help you to get where you want to be.   This also means that you must count the cost, don’t just quit your job but create a financial plan towards starting your business.

3. Be prepared and persistent: Go back to school if you have to, become educated and qualified if necessary and attend training sessions that will enhance you.   Begin to hunt and gather information about what you want to do.   Be real and find out if there is really a need for your product or service, and don’t quit.   If our forerunners have done it, you can too.

In closing, as we continue to stand on the shoulders of those who have paved the way forward, we must remain confident in the ability that God has placed on the inside of each of us to bring transformation to build our nation and become economically empowered as women through entrepreneurship.

  • Melisa Hall is an attorney, advocate for women’s empowerment and business coach who hosts monthly workshops for women.

You may contact her at 341-2204, or reach her via Facebook.

Mar 08, 2012

thenassauguardian

Bahamian women 'should continue to have breast cancer screenings at an early age'

By TANEKA THOMPSON:
Tribune Staff Reporter -
tthompson@tribunemedia.net:


DESPITE controversial American breast cancer screening guidelines, a local oncologist recommends that Bahamian women continue to have annual breast cancer screenings at an early age.

Dr John Lunn, medical director of the Bahamas Breast Cancer Initiative Foundation, is one of many in the medical community who advocate annual mammograms and self-examinations no later than the age of 40 in hopes of detecting the disease early on.

Those with a genetic predisposition to the disease should get screened even younger, he said.

This is necessary, Dr Lunn told The Tribune, due to the high incidences of Bahamian women under the age of 50 who are struck with the disease or have a genetic predisposition to it.

His comments came in the wake of guidelines from the US Preventive Services Task Force which said that women aged 50 to 74 only need a mammogram every other year, rather than annually.

The recommendations, released by the 16-member panel of American experts, also said that women older than 74 do not need to be tested.

The board also said that US doctors should not instruct women to examine their breasts for lumps. The panel argued that the X-rays often resulted in false positives, or false alarms, which sometimes led to unnecessary treatment.

Dr Lunn said the new recommendations -- which have sparked opposition from the American Cancer Society -- do not apply to the Bahamas. Although he conceded that mammograms are not perfect, he said the testing does save lives.

"At the moment this doesn't apply to the Bahamas -- these are US guidelines -- but it doesn't apply to populations like us where half the women have breast cancer under the age of 50 and 20 per cent of all women carry a gene that predisposes them to breast cancer," said Dr Lunn.

"So we are not changing our recommendations for screening at the moment. All women should start annual screening and monthly self-tests at 40."

As for whether the news from the United States will affect how Bahamian women view the need for breast cancer testing, Dr Lunn believes the danger will overpower the chatter from abroad.

Mrs Susan Roberts, founder of the Cancer Society, said her organisation will continue to push for women as young as 35 to get screened.

"Early detection is the best protection," Mrs Roberts said, adding that she was "horrified" by the panel's recommendations.

Due to the fundraising success of this year's "Ride for Hope" charity event, the Cancer Society is preparing to fly in a group of women under the age of 50, who are at risk for breast cancer, to undergo free mammograms.

A recent study revealed that 20 per cent of 195 Bahamian breast cancer survivors in the study's test group have an abnormal gene which predisposes them to the disease.

Dr Lunn is one of several local oncologists who, along with international, began the study which yielded the startling statistics.

This rate is among the highest in the world, according to experts who conducted the research.

According to published reports, 34 per cent of Bahamian women diagnosed with breast cancer are 44 years old or younger while only 12 per cent of American women under 44 are diagnosed with the disease.

The average age of women with breast cancer in The Bahamas is 42 while the average age in the United States is 62.

November 19, 2009

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