NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamian women in politics have differing views on the question of gender bias, however, they all agree it is a topic that must be taken seriously.
With the recent detainment of Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Arinthia Komolafe for a protest held weeks ago and former Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Lanisha Rolle’s resignation from Cabinet at a time when she was the only female member, the question of gender bias has become an ongoing public discussion.
In an interview with Eyewitness News, Komolafe said looking at the number of women involved in politics, or rather not involved, she sees how some people may come to a conclusion of there being a gender bias in the country.
However, Komolafe said there are other challenges surrounding why more women are not involved in frontline politics.
She added this is why a lot of local women‘s groups — whether political, civic or religious — are encouraging more women to be involved in frontline politics.
Komolafe said: “Some of the challenges that a lot of women face is the mindset with some of the established parties, who typically in times past prefer to run men.
“There’s a mindset in the party, particularly in party leadership, that voters want to vote for men over women.”
Komolafe said aspects of prejudice and even the responsibility of taking care of their households add to the challenges women may be met with.
The Bahamas has yet to have a woman as a prime minister, however, Komolafe said: “I think The Bahamas is ready for a competent and visionary leadership and that is if whether the individual who is offering for leadership is a male or a female.”
Former British colonies Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana have all been ruled by women leaders in the last 20 years and if Komolafe is elected as prime minister in the next general election, The Bahamas could be added to this list.
Komolafe is one of the few women to ever be leader of a major political party in the country.
Former Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, who was briefly leader of the Free National Movement (FNM), said she believes the pandemic has raised the bar for the respect of women because of how women in leadership performed in dealing with the pandemic.
When asked if she believes women are respected in leadership more than before, while appearing as a guest on ILTV’s Beyond the Headlines with host Clint Watson, Butler said she thinks Bahamians are taking a second look now at what they could do differently.
Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe — being now the only woman in Cabinet — also added to the discussion on gender bias.
Parker-Edgecombe said: “Now, personally, I do believe that there is a lot of work that we have to do with elevating woman in politics
“As to whether or not there is a direct gender bias, I could not really say that there is because women in the country have been able to reach very high offices, particularly in the political arena when you think of the Cynthia Mother Pratts and the Ivy Dumonts, all of those persons.
“So, to say that there’s a gender bias, I don’t necessarily see it but I do believe there has to be more recognition of the work the women do in the political arena and there needs to be more of them at the table.”
Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin also feels there is work to be done in the representation of women in politics.
Hanna-Martin said: “I think there is underrepresentation of women in the parliament.”
She added that it speaks volumes about a serious defect in qualitative representation in this country.
When asked if she believes there is gender bias in the country, Hanna-Martin told Eyewitness News: “I wouldn’t use the terminology ‘gender bias’ because it doesn’t specify what the issues are.
“I think the issues are multiple — some are historical, institutional and structural.
“But I think there has to be, first of all, a policy or philosophical position taken in the country and specifically in political parties that women will represent a respectable proportion of candidates in general elections coming very quickly — the next one or the one thereafter — as a matter of urgency.”
MICAL MP Miriam Emmanuel, who in 2019 came under fire for a numbers blunder during a presentation in the House of Assembly, said regarding the topic of gender bias that there are ongoing questions and issues that need to be addressed.
“There are ongoing questions and issues that [we] need to have serious and continuous discussions [about],” she said.
“We may need to stop being reactive and have intellectual discussions about these issues.”
Written by Eyewitness News Intern Jade Russell
Loading ...
