Shown seated from left at the Ministry for Grand Bahama are: Mr. Melvin Seymour; Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Grand Bahama; the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister for Grand Bahama; the Hon. Melanie Griffin, Minister of Social Services and Community Development; and Ms. Christine Campbell; Head of the Bureau of Women’s Affairs. Standing from left are: Rev. Sabrina Pinder, Co-Chairperson of the Advisory Board Council; Deborah Cox-Strachan, Administrator for East Grand Bahama; Mrs. Marion Bethel-Sears, Producer of “Womanish Ways”; Mrs. Lillian Quant-Forbes, Deputy Director of Social Services; Ms. Brandace Duncanson, Member of the Constitutional Commission; and Mrs. Paula Marshall, Assistant Director of Social Services. (BIS Photo/Philip A. Curry)

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Minister of Social Services, the Hon. Melanie Griffin and a delegation from New Providence visited Grand Bahama on Monday in celebration of National Women’s Week 2014.

At a press briefing at the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Minister Griffin said the theme for the week is “Equality for Women is Progress for All” -- a spin on the UN International Women’s Day in March. She said the theme reflects current issues in the country “in speaking to equality for women in our Constitution, and we are aware that women’s rights are human rights; we have the Constitutional Amendments before Parliament and we hope to have them passed very soon.”

As a part of the educational process on the Amendments, Minister Griffin continued, some members of the delegation will travel throughout the Family Islands so that people will understand clearly what it is all about.

Among those in the delegation from Nassau and Grand Bahama were: Ms. Christine Campbell, Head of the Bureau of Women’s Affairs; Rev. Sabrina Pinder, Vice-Chairperson of the Women’s Advisory Council; Mrs. Marion Bethel-Sears, Producer of “Womanish Ways,” a documentary on the Women’s Suffrage Movement in The Bahamas; Ms. Brandace Duncanson, Member of the Constitutional Commission; Mrs. Lillian Quant-Forbes, Deputy Director of Social Services; Mrs. Paula Marshall, Assistant Director of Social Services and Mrs. Debra Cox-Strachan, Administrator for East End, Grand Bahama.

Also present at the press briefing were Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville and Permanent Secretary for the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Mr. Melvin Seymour.

The week was launched, she said, with a church service on Sunday. Services were held in Nassau, Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera. This was followed by the visit to Grand Bahama where hundreds of high school students viewed the recent documentary produced by Mrs. Bethel-Sears: Womanish Ways: Freedom, Human Rights and Democracy – the Women’s Suffrage Movement in The Bahamas, 1948-1962. Following the viewing, they asked questions and interacted with the producer and other members of the team.

There was also a luncheon on Monday afternoon where Ms. Duncanson of the Constitutional Commission gave a presentation, which was well-received by those in attendance.

On Wednesday, the group will travel to Marsh Harbour, Abaco where the documentary will again be shown followed by a women’s forum. A visit to Eleuthera on Friday will feature the same events.

Minister Griffin said “we are really trying to provide public education for the Family Islands and to include the women there because they are a major part of the development of The Bahamas.” She continued, “I want them to see the documentary as well because they played a role in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, the signing of the petition, the voting and the empowerment of women in the enfranchisement to vote.”

The United Nations declared Tuesday the “International Day to End Violence against Women.” In acknowledgement of this, there will be a session for students at the Department of Social Services headquarters on John F. Kennedy Drive in Nassau. A session will also be held at the Royal Bahamas Defense Force Base in Coral Harbour.

There will also be a 16-day period of activism, which ends on December 10, “Human Rights Day.” During the time, Minister Griffin said “we are asking women throughout The Bahamas to join women around the world in wearing Orange, which is the colour the United Nations has asked women to wear.”

Dr. Darville thanked the Minister for her hard work, but in particular for that being done in Grand Bahama at the Department of Social Services. He welcomed the delegation, and in particular Mrs. Bethel-Sears, and described her documentary as “fascinating and very good.”

“I’m pleased that some students got the opportunity to view it today, and we’d like to invite her back to ensure that a wider cross section of students get the opportunity to be a part, to see what this documentary is all about.”

Commenting on the church service on Sunday, the Minister said he thought it was dynamic and well represented. The message delivered by Apostle Ann Grant was delivered with “power and conviction.” That, he said, was an “awesome” way to launch the celebrations in Grand Bahama.

Dr. Darville said, “I’m particularly pleased to know that what is being experienced here on Grand Bahama is being experienced by women throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and that is something we must commend the entire team for because for many years things would be Nassau-centric but I am very pleased to see that the Women’s Affairs programme is being extended throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”

He commended the department on the island, and said he looks forward to working with them on the issues of Social Services and Constitutional Reform, noting that it’s been fortunate that the Constitutional Education Committee has been presenting the issues on Grand Bahama – “going from small churches to big auditoriums,” and that the issues are becoming much clearer for the general population.