The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SENATE president Katherine Smith says while she supports having more women enter politics, having people who are qualified to run who can make a contribution to the growth and development of the country is greatly needed.

Her comments came during an interview with ZNS at the recent 46th independence celebrations held in Grand Bahama.

While women have made tremendous strides in politics over the past four decades in The Bahamas, there is still a low level of representation.

Concerning the percentage of women elected to Parliament, last year it was noted that The Bahamas is far below the United Nation's minimum quota of 30 percent.

In 2018, Social Services Minister Frankie Campbell revealed in his presentation at the sixth periodic state report of The Bahamas under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2018, that only 12 percent of parliamentarians are women.

The Bahamas was asked to provide information on measures taken to introduce a system of quotas aimed at reaching a minimum of 30 percent representation by women in Parliament, including the adoption of temporary special measures and the support of women candidates for elected positions in the state party.

Mr Campbell reported that in politics, five percent of Cabinet ministers, 12 percent of parliamentarians and 43 percent of senators are women.

In the current Minnis administration, there is only one woman Cabinet minister, Lanisha Rolle.

Senator Smith, who is a strong advocate of women's rights and empowerment, said on Monday: "We should have leaders in this country that looks like the population that is voting for them."

But she also added: "I am not just one of those persons that believe we need to have women running, I believe we should have people who are qualified to run in politics, who actually can make a contribution to the growth and development of this country.

"So, it is not just about anybody running. I believe we need to have more qualified people running in politics; more people who are prepared and who can bring something to the table."

The Senate president - who founded the Girl Con organisation, which promotes gender equality and women's empowerment - believes that a government should leave the country better than officials found it for the next generation.

"We came (to office) two years ago, and I would like to see not so much partisan politics when we have to make a decision to move the country forward.

"I find it very difficult at this particular time in our development to still be so partisan among the issues; we have a lot of work to do in this country.

"I always said we got to leave this country better than we met it for the next generation. We got to change how we lead in this country," she said.

Reflecting on the country's 46th independence anniversary, former Bahamian ambassador Maurice Moore believes that educating the youth is the key to moving the country forward.

He stressed that resources must be made available so that young people can attend educational institutions to get proper education and training.

"In that area I feel, yes, we have not done as much as we can," Mr Moore said.

He also believes that the quality of life in the Family Islands must continue to be improved.

"I am beginning to get a degree of satisfaction because there is a genuine effort in improving the quality of life for our citizens in the far-flung islands. Even though resources are limited . . .we have to raise the quality of life in the islands by providing good roads, and water to drink, and reliable electricity. I am pleased that the government is stretching our resources as far as they go in the right direction," he said.