For Women Candidates, Quality is as Important as Quantity

Valerie Woods

While Woods harbours greater political aspirations, as one of the most prominent female faces in the P.U.P., what does she think of the conundrum on women candidates?  Former Port Loyola aspirant and City Councilor Candice Pitts vociferously condemned the alleged lack of support for her candidacy from within the P.U.P. and particularly the United Women’s Group. Woods says she is all for more women occupying the National Assembly and should be based on what they have to offer rather than just their gender.  She also discussed the pressures of balancing a political career with managing a family, after turning down the offer to be P.U.P. candidate for mayor of Belize City.

Valerie Woods, Aspirant, Albert Division

“I certainly would like to be involved more with a party that has women candidates and women in the House; I firmly believe that. I want to see more of that. I’m not going to speak for the party on whatever processes they’ve used – I wasn’t involved with that – but I think I have a contribution to make. But I also want to let you know that yes, I would love to see more women in the House of Representatives, but I also don’t want anyone to be supporting me just because I’m a woman. I bring a lot of energy, I bring a lot of ideas, I bring a fighting spirit that quite frankly I think we need in our party, and I am prepared to put my foot forward representing an area to do it – one area as opposed to what I was being asked to do four months ago; they thought I was able do the City; but that’s a decision I have to take on. That’s a personal decision that every single person takes, because it’s not easy. Getting in this politics is not an easy thing; so if I’m going to do it, it has to be in an area that I’m comfortable, and one division as opposed to an entire City, I’m prepared to look at that sacrifice, and I’m prepared to take that on given where my children are now with their ages.”