“Women are doing very well” says Minnis
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — As he defended the lack of women in leadership positions in the government, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday he looks forward to the day The Bahamas has its first female prime minister.
Minnis was responding to questions regarding the resignation of the only woman in Cabinet, former Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Lanisha Rolle.
When asked whether there will be a gap in female representation until the next election is called, Minnis said: “I don’t know when the bell may ring; the bell may ring tomorrow and therefore you don’t have time for that, but those are matters we will address.
“We always feel that we want to ensure there are equal men and women not only in the Cabinet but even if you look in the Office of the Prime Minister, I’m a male and both my secretaries are females.
“My delivery unit director is female. My communications director is female. The individual in charge of my Bahamas Investment Authority is female.”
Pressed on whether this speaks to the glass ceiling for women in supporting roles but not leadership, Minnis insisted “women are doing very well, and I look forward to the day we have our first female Bahamian prime minister”.
There are five women serving in the House of Assembly, while men make up the remaining 34 parliamentarians.
The Caribbean Women in Leadership Bahamas Chapter has called on the government to not further disenfranchise the women and girls of The Bahamas by lessening their representation to naught, at the highest seat of decision-making in the country.
The organization urged the prime minister to assess and monitor his party’s obligation, commitment and promise to the Bahamian people to increase the representation of women in parliamentary and Cabinet leadership and encouraged all political parties to do the same in light of the pending general election.
