Students Gravitate to Ann-Marie’s Book on Women in Politics
She’s long moved on from news reporting, the National Women’s Commission and politics. In fact, Ann-Marie Williams lives in Guyana where she holds the post of Deputy Program Manager for Gender and Development at the CARICOM Secretariat. But she still has that drive to promote the advancement of women. And one of the arenas where women have been profoundly cast aside and even denigrated is that of politics. But through her book, Political Women in Red and Blue, published in December of 2021, she hopes to make the playing field more even. The book features eleven Belizean women who have managed to be elected and who have served or are still serving in parliament. Today, Ann-Marie took the concept of her book to high school students who gathered at the Leo Bradley Library in Belize City. Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Today, the Leo Bradley Library on Princess Margaret Drive was abuzz with students filing in and out in one-hour sessions. They were attending a presentation by Ann-Marie Williams, author of the book, Political Women in Red and Blue. Through an invitation from the Belize National Library, Williams shared highlights of the book and what inspired its writing with the students who attend schools in the neighbourhood. She explained why this was a golden opportunity.
Ann-Marie Williams
Ann-Marie Williams, Author, Political Women in Red and Blue
“Women have made sterling contributions to Belize’s development, particularly women who have served at the highest level of government, including Cabinet and you cannot pick up any one book to comprehensively look at women’s stories, not only their biographical listings but what are the pieces of legislation that they’re responsible for, how they have affected the lives and circumstances of our men and our children? How have they really changed Belize?”
The answers to these questions lie in the pages of this book, which features the contributions of eleven Belizean women parliamentarians, from the late Jane Usher to the current Minister Dolores Balderamos-Garcia and Albert Area Representative, Tracey Taegar. There are a total of eleven women whose profiles occupy the pages of the book. And if we are to go by the feedback we received from fourth form students from Pallotti, the book will have to be amended to include more.
Tey-anna Pelayo
Tey-anna Pelayo, Pallotti Student
“It helps inspire us as teenagers that will eventually become the future of Belize and I feel that it is needed because as Ms Williams rightly said, as females, women we get overlooked because men are the ones that get more experience, get more opportunities than females and I feel like we do have the brains.”
Adriana Briceño
Adriana Briceño, Pallotti Student
“Women are capable of doing so much things and way better than men, sometimes. Not to say it like that but I know we can all do something. We are capable of big things and I’m excited to see what the future holds for all these upcoming females.”
Abigail Williams
Abigail Williams, Pallotti Student
“I’m a little bit more interested in the field of law but I do wish to maybe become the first female prime minister one of these days so this was a very amazing experience for me. I’m so thankful to Miss Ann-Marie for bringing up about women, women in politics and women empowerment. It is a great thing.”
Marion Ali
“So we can expect to hear about Prime Minister Abigail Williams in the future?”
Abigail Williams
“Of course!”
Marion Ali for News Five.
The book sells for forty dollars a copy and can be purchased from Ann-Marie through contact with her on Facebook.
