With all seats taken at 34 tables, the Fourth Annual Hats & Heels event at the glittering CuisinArt Ballroom on Sunday afternoon, March 1, was, as one commentator put it, “a smashing success”.
The highly pleasing ballroom was further enhanced by the many ladies who turned up in some of their best dresses, shoes and hats, no doubt causing the judges some difficulty to select the winners. The event, which began a series of Women Week activities, had as its theme “Women Empowering Women” and was hosted by Elektra – the chairperson known widely by that name.
The gathering was addressed by Minister of Home Affairs, Education, Labour, Immigration, Human Rights and Constitutional Affairs, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge. She commended the organisers for ensuring that the hats and heels event continues year after year, and for being part of the global mobilisation for the campaign for generation equality.
On a serious note, she said 2020 marked the 25th anniversary of the commemoration of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 1995 which was developed at the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, China.
She explained that the Declaration was committed to making gender equality available to all women and girls who have been marginalised. She spoke at length on various gender-based inequalities and the serious constraints posed to economic growth in the region. The Minister added: “This is one of the reasons why we are here today: to highlight these issues; to embrace the world-wide generation equality campaign, and for each one of us to bring true gender equality to Anguilla.”
The Minister was followed by remarks from Ms. Carencia Rouse, Acting Director of Gender Affairs, who joined in speaking about several matters of gender equality for which women in Anguilla and elsewhere are entitled to.
There were four main speakers as follows – Dr. Oluwakemi Linda Banks: “The importance of Gender Equality Today; Ms. Dorla Hodge: “Women’s rights within the hospitality sector”; Ms. Cassandra Richardson of St. Maarten: “The Importance of a Woman’s Voice”; and Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers: “Women’s Rights Activism”.
President of Hats & Heels, Mrs. Jade Reymond-Richardson, expressed appreciation to the speakers for their contributions to the event – and the enlightenment of the women as well as the small number of men in attendance. She was also grateful to the sponsors and other persons whose assistance had made the event a most successful one.
Various raffles and distributions of prizes formed part of the occasion, and the results of the Hats & Heels competition were also announced as follows:
Best Clutch: Marie Harris; Best Heel: Charlene Roach; Most Creative Hat: Roxanne Brooks; Winner: Ms. Palmavon Webster; 1st Runner-Up: Karimah Carty; 2nd Runner-Up: Jean Dyer; 3rd Runner-Up: Meesha Richardson; and Best Dressed Woman: Rosanna Browne.
Other activities forming part of the observance of Women’s Week in Anguilla were announced as follows: Monday, March 2: Launch of Women’s Week Video; Gender Affairs Unit Facebook Page; Tuesday, March 3rd: Political candidates’ panel discussion presentation on Women’s Rights at the Teachers’ Resource Centre at 6.30 pm; Wednesday, March 4: Women’s Health and Sexuality Forum at the Tea Box Lounge at 6-8 pm; Thursday, March 5: Governor’s Reception at Sea Feathers in celebration of Women’s Week 6 pm; Friday, March 6, Women’s Picture Day, 9 am -5 pm; Saturday, March 7: Anguilla National Council of Women Rebrand Launch and Social, Tea Box Lounge; Sunday, March 8: International Women’s Day Service at Church of God (Holiness) 10 am; and International Women’s Day Sunset Cruise, Sandy Ground, 4.30 – 6.30 pm.
