Charlestown, Nevis – Eleven dynamic Nevisian women, all splendiferously attired, were the recipients of special awards, due to their exemplary work in their chosen career paths.
The special ceremony was held at the NEPAC building on the evening of Thursday, March 23rd, and was ably chaired by Director of Youth, Miss Zahnela Claxton.
The event was a fitting climax to a two day women’s forum which focused on the attainment of the sustainable development goals (SDGS), throughout the sub region and the involvement of women in politics and especially in leading roles.
The regional forum, was the brain child of the Honourable Hazel Brandy-Williams, who used the opportunity at the awards ceremony to again salute all of the participants at the conference.
Also addressing the gathering was Antigua and Barbuda’s Member of Parliament, Hon. Joanne Massiah.
She expressed delight at the fact that the recently concluded conference was not only timely but significant.
She teasingly took a swipe at the men present by repeating a story. She stated that a Professor once wrote on the board, ‘A woman without her man is nothing.
He asked the women and the men to punctuate it and make it a proper sentence. When the men were done, it read ‘A woman, without her man, is nothing. The women said: ‘A woman: Without her, man is nothing!’ She received warm applause for her sense of humour.
She congratulated the women who were receiving awards and encouraged them to support each other.
Messrs. Eric Evelyn and Rol’J Williams read the profiles of the awardees and the awards were presented by the Hon. Hazel Brandy-Williams as follows:
Education
Josette Myers, Vernitha Collins (Teacher Collins)
Jacinth McIntosh, Ermelita Elliot, Emilina Ionie Claxton
Women in business
Lynette LYN’S Manners
Community service
Lea Parris –Cambridge (accepted by her sister Tracey)
Community Health care
Patricia PATSY Flemming
Nursing
Gwenneth Jones, Jessica Scarborough
Arts and Culture
Ernestine Rawlins
Two women in the audience, also received a grand surprise when they received ‘BLIND/UNKNOWN awards.’
Miss Joy Napier for making a significant contribution locally and regionally, as a woman under the age of forty.
Karen Amory for her achievements in nontraditional occupation for a woman, who gained acclaim for her work as a Mechanic and later as a heavy equipment operator.
Interspersed with the presentations, the audience was wowed by the obvious talents of some of the young people on the island:
The facilitators for the recently concluded regional conference received special gift packages, complements of Minister Hazel Brandy-Williams.
Deputy Premier in the Nevis Island Administration, Hon. Mark Brantley, closed the proceedings with brief remarks and saluted the deserving women, on receiving the awards and saluted their sacrificial efforts throughout the years. He urged the women present to continue to press towards their rightful place ‘at the table-if not at the head of the table.’
At the end of the ceremony, everyone socialized in the courtyard with food and drink, to the wonderful strains of Gavin Patterson on pan.