P.U.P. women say more representation needed

The party has been he party has been methodically carving out a public position on what it believes are the key issues of the day… And today it was the P.U.P’s time to focus on the issue of women… Or more specifically the absence of women in the higher ranks of government.

The 1998 P.U.P’s Women?s Agenda is grounded on the belief that for far too long Belize’s political leadership has been dominated by men.

Mrytle Palacio

“We firmly believe that if more women are also at the helm of political decision making, then the issues which plague the welfare of women will be addressed. We know that there are many women in Belize who are well qualified for this job.”

Therefore in their recommendation, the U.W.G. committed itself to ensuring that their party once elected will move to include more women in key leadership positions with a target of thirty percent of the appointees to statutory boards, advisory bodies and the public service. Suggestions were also made with respect to the legal status of women. According to Attorney at Law, Lisa Shoman there is a particular need to recognize common law unions.

Lisa Shoman

“Never the less, sometimes the union withstand the test of time and go on sometimes for 30 to 40 years, at the end of which one of the spouse dies and the property is in the other spouse’s name, that’s fine but if not, then it would go to the children under our laws and not under the common law spouse, who is in many cases has worked for many years to build up the equity in whatever home they may have.”

The group, recognizing that there are a vast number of women who are heads of households and are financially strapped, have also recommended ways in which they promise to empower women financially.

Narda Garcia

“A grassroot cooperative style bank along the lines of the Gramine Bank will be established that women and other creditors can have increased access to affordable credit, utilizing unconventional collateral.”

The recommendations according to the special guest speaker, party leader, Said Musa are timely since he believes that families are struggling to survive in a situation that has been created by government.

Said Musa, Leader of Opposition, P.U.P.

“Joblessness affects families and mothers in a direct way. For many of whom the daily worry is, where will the money come from to put food on the table for the children. Crime and the fear of crime often affect women more than men. More and more women are forced today to go out and seek work, many new problems arise as a result. Like how to juggle a job and a family.”

Women’s needs, says Dolores Balderamos Garcia, the President of the P.U.P’s United Women’s Group, are not being effectively addressed by government.

Dolores Balderamos Garcia, President, U.W.G.

“Well this is women’s week, we won’t cast any stones, but we will say that there have been too many conferences there is too much work on, oh we are going to look at a comprehensive amendment of all the laws with relation to women and children. We can’t wait cause years and years are passing. You can’t. It is so difficult to prove rape, it is so difficult for women to have access to credit, it is so difficult for women to truly participate because we are not using what we call the affirmative action and it may not be politically correct in some places but here it is.”

But while the group works towards empowering Belizean women, it is equally important for the women themselves to be more vocal and active in bring about change. The motivation, says Garcia, will not be difficult to do.

Dolores Balderamos Garcia

“Girl, that won’t be difficult, that won’t be hard because I think women are the ones who are feeling the pinch. You know like I do, we are the ones who have the children, we are the ones who have to stretch the dollar with the elastic, as one of the members here was saying. So it is not going to be difficult for motivation.”

Garcia believes the only work they might have to do is in terms with political motivation, as women have usually opted to take a background position in politics, albeit one that has them working tirelessly behind the scene. While her party is yet to be elected, Garcia says work on putting the recommendations in action will begin immediately.

With so few female candidates being fielded by the two political parties the only opportunity for immediate change at the top would be to appoint well qualified women as senators and then name them to the cabinet.