A number of inspirational presentations marked the annual commemoration of International Women’s Day on Wednesday 8th March, 2023. The celebratory service at the Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary was organised by The University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus Anguilla in collaboration with the Anglican Church Women Association (ACWA) and the Gender Affairs Unit.
The service formed part of the activities marking Women’s Week under the theme “Anguillian Women Pioneers: Innovators, Boundary Pushers and Record-Breakers”. It included the recognition of the ten Women’s Week Honourees and the International Women’s Day Pioneer Awardee, Mrs. Octavia Lake.
Among the presentations were stirring musical selections by the Women’s Ministries of the Mount Fortune Seventh Day Adventist and the Anguilla Christian Fellowship Churches. Mrs. Heidi Shaw performed a beautiful instrumental rendition of “In Christ Alone” on the fiddle. Youth Parliamentarian, Poet and Performing Artiste, Ms. Rhonica Connor engaged the audience with an interactive Spoken Word performance entitled, “This Is What It Means To Be A Woman”. Dr. Oluwakemi Linda Banks also presented salutary poetic biographies in tribute to Pioneer Awardees Dr. Lana Connor-Hoyoung and Mrs. Octavia Lake.
The Honourable Acting Governor Mr. Perin Bradley and the Honourable Minister with responsibility for Gender Affairs, Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers both acknowledged the significance of the day and the impactful contributions that the Honourees and other Women and Women’s Groups continue to make in the development of Anguilla.
In a powerful and riveting address, Keynote Speaker, Ms. Farrah Banks highlighted the achievements and contributions of pioneering women in Anguilla’s history and their impacts on today’s generation.
“As time goes on and things change, there are still many firsts to come, but there is a reason we are recognising Pioneers today,” she said. “All the firsts to come have been built on firsts that have passed. So, it is imperative that we recognise those who have made life easier for us and the generations to come.”
In a challenge to Anguilla’s younger women, Ms. Banks went on to note that: “We also have a generation of younger women who believe that they should receive flowers before the plant has fully grown. I want to advise this generation to look around, see those who have acquired the plots, primed the land, planted the seeds, watered the garden and pruned the trees for decades…NOT in hopes that they may receive flowers, but in determination to make Anguilla better than they met it.”
Ms. Kemoloy Murphy, Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks and Mrs. Celestine John
The programme was chaired by Manager of The UWI Open Campus British Overseas Territories, Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks. Remarks also came from ACWA President, Mrs. Celestine John, Gender Development Coordinator, Ms. Kemoloy Murphy and President of Soroptimist International of Anguilla, Mrs. Angelina Carty who all expressed words of encouragement and congratulated the Honourees.
The annual donation in support of the Foster and Disability Care Programme at the Department of Social Development was also collected.
Ms. René Henry of The UWI Open Campus Anguilla expressed appreciation on behalf of the Organisers and thanked all those who shared in the celebration, including Pastor Wanda Brooks who delivered the invocation and UWI STAT Ambassador, Ms. Tyeisha Emmanuel who introduced the Keynote Speaker.
Special thanks were extended to the Priest and Congregation of the Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary, as well as sponsors D-3 Enterprises, Black Orchid Florists, MarzSim Visuals, Klean Stream, Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and the media.
