International Women’s Week in Anguilla was concluded on Sunday, March 13, at the Dominion Faith Centre in the Fair Play Complex where a rousing Church Service was conducted. The Minister there, assisted by his wife, is Pastor Dexter Welcome known for his many church and community contributions to life in Anguilla.
He was thanked by Dr. Ronya Foy-Connor, Gender Development Coordinator, for allowing the use of his church for the event. She spoke in general about the activities held for the observance of Women’s Week and the fifteen Anguillian women who were the 2016 honourees in various categories of awards.
Dr. Foy-Connor was particularly pleased that, at long last, the United Nations-declared Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CDRAW) had now been extended to Anguilla. She was grateful to a number of Anguillian women who had been working hard towards that end over the years.
Mr. Kenneth Hodge, Principal Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Gender Affairs, said it had taken Anguilla between twenty and thirty years to get to the point where the Convention was extended to the island. He thanked Mrs. Lana Hoyoung, Mrs. Evalie Bradley, Mrs. Keisha Gumbs-Bibi, Inspector Marva Brooks and Mrs. Catherine Firth (formerly of the Governor’s Office) who was succeeded by Mr. Steve McCready.
“I have taken time to highlight these persons because they played such an invaluable role, over the years, in helping us to get to this point,” he stated. “Two years ago we were finally blessed to have appointed to the post of Gender Development Coordinator, Dr. Ronya Foy-Connor and she is quite a blessing. She has really been a very tangible support and I am so pleased to be able to help her [towards that end].
Mr. Hodge highlighted five women for their role and contribution to Anguilla. They were Mrs. Serene Carter-Davis for her contribution in the field of nursing and now a preacher; Mrs. Ursil Webster-Brooks, current President of the National Council of Women, who contributed in the field of Labour and Union over the years and has been a champion for women’s rights in Anguilla; Mrs. Marilyn Hodge (his wife) who launched her second book for Women’s Week; Mrs. Daphne Richardson (one of the fifteen honoured women) for her contribution in the field of music at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School; and Dr. Ronya Foy-Connor (his colleague) whom he described as “a force to reckon with” in terms of gender affairs coordination and development.
The sermon was delivered by Mrs. Serene Carter-Davis. She prefaced its delivery by congratulating the fifteen women who were honoured for Women’s Week and charged them to go out to help and to heal other womenfolk in Anguilla. She was also grateful that the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was extended to Anguilla.
