The concerts are over, the dancing and shouting has died down somewhat and life is beginning to return to some normalcy. A new government has been formed and the business of running the country is now the order of the day for the ruling Free National Movement.
Many people have been quoted as saying the outcome of the elections was the will of God. Be that as it may, since the majority of the votes cast were for the FNM, it is that political party that will govern The Commonwealth of The Bahamas for the next five years.
However, one cannot help but wonder if the majority of the Bahamian people are going to be fairly and justly represented in the hallowed halls of the House of Assembly. And in the case of The Bahamas, the majority of the population about whom I speak are women.
According to the 2000 census, there are more women than men living in The Bahamas. In fact, there are almost 10,000 more women than men living in this country. While there were over 100 persons vying for a seat in the Lower House, only 21 of these candidates were women. And of that 21, only five were elected to the House of Assembly.
Of course while these five may try everything in their power to fight for legislation that is fair and equitable for women, I wonder how many of us will support them in their effort? Even though there are more women professionals in this country and almost an even amount of male and female legislators (www.bahamas.gov.bs), one cannot help but see that the House of Assembly is still an “old boys’ club” that has not tackled very many issues pertinent to women over the years.
Just last week I was reminded that non-Bahamian spouses of Bahamian women still have to wait a very long time to receive legal working status in this country. The chauvinistic immigration laws that have existed for far too long must be examined, but I wonder how much can be achieved with only five women sitting in the House?
In addition to the antiquated immigration laws that exist, serious attention must be given to the National Health Insurance bill that was tabled before the General Elections. Most insurance companies will tell you that health insurance will continue to rise especially for women because women make the most claims each year.
While we many not agree with the insurance companies, the fact is that women do tend to have more claims. We could speculate that they have more medical problems that need to be treated, but whatever the reason, women tend to drive the premiums up in group insurances. Will this proposed National Health Insurance help defray some of the escalating medical costs for women?
Many of our children are still being born to unmarried women who continue to seek the court’s assistance in having the fathers of their children pay child support. The money that these fathers are required to pay can hardly keep most babies in “pampers” for a week. Will this issue of maintenance be addressed during the next five years this new government sits in the House?
Three of these women, Glenys Hanna-Martin, Cynthia Pratt and Melanie Griffin have already proven their abilities to the Bahamian public. It is now up to Vernae Grant and Loretta Butler-Turner to demonstrate why they belong to the honourable House of Assembly.
Unfortunately for us women, three of these women now sit in the Opposition, so one cannot help but wonder how much impact they will have on issues raised and debated on the floor of the House. However, what the female population must remember is that while we are out-numbered in that House, we still make up the majority in the homes, workplaces, and churches.
Women of The Bahamas I challenge you to make those five women’s voices heard by raising your own voices. It is now time for women to step up and lead where it matters. For far too long we have only raised our voices in the pews and in the privacy of our homes. The time has come to speak up for the majority – stand up for women.
About the author: Joye Ritchie-Greene is an Educational Consultant, Writer and Martial Arts Instructor. She is the owner/operator of The Bahamas Martial Arts Academy; president of Time-Out Productions; and is also a columnist for the Freeport News. She has a B.A. in English and an M.S. in Human Resources, resides in Freeport, Grand Bahama with her husband and enjoys playing tennis. Joye can be reached at
joye_hel_ena@hotmail.com
