An exemplary leader – that’s how the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) is remembering former Prime Minister Dame Mary Eugenia Charles on what would have been her 93 birthday on Tuesday (today) May 15.
Historian Lennox Honychurch describes the woman who was born in the village of Pointe Michel on May 15 in 1919 as having had a distinguished career as Prime Minister of Dominica, lawyer, politician and occasional journalist.
For the DFP, Dame Eugenia must be remembered “for her tremendous contribution towards Dominica’s development as well as that of the OECS and CARICOM”.
The party recalls that internationally, she was recognized for her strong leadership and her stand for Democracy and Human Rights.
“Dame Eugenia was an exemplary leader. She served Dominica and its people well and faithfully and was respected locally, regionally and internationally for her honesty and forthrightness as well as for her dedication to the task of nation building,” the DFP says in a birthday tribute to the late Dominican leader.
It recalls that “as a lawyer, she fought for the rights of women and the less fortunate. As a politician and Leader of the Opposition, she gave effective representation and promoted good governance. As Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Planning, Foreign Affairs, and National Security, she brought tangible development to the country. Most importantly, she restored national pride and Dominica’s image abroad”.
According to the party statement Dame Mary Eugenia Charles will never be forgotten because she was “selfless in sharing her wealth with the less fortunate by way of personal donations to the Education Trust Fund as well as through the establishment of a Trust for providing financial support to many individuals to pursue higher education. She made significant contributions to Health, Sports, Youth and the Elderly among others”.
In addition to the DFP tribute, DNO is also carrying a Lennox Honychurch write up on Dame Eugenia carried elsewhere on this website.
Some may say that she didn’t do much for Dominica in her 15 years, but the foundation need to be built and that’s what she did .The problem is, whilst she was setting the foundation the termites were also laying their eggs.
“An exemplary leader – that’s how the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) is remembering former Prime Minister Dame Mary Eugenia Charles.”
” An exemplary Leader! ”
Somebody has to be kidding, or fooling themselves because there is absolutely no truth to that!
Mary Eugenia Charles was the most …….human I have known and encountered in my entire life, and trust me I have dealt with the worst of the very worst of individuals.
Going back to the late 1950’s, early 1960’s; I was still a kid walking the hills of Wesley, bare feet, and without pants, during those days Eugenia was fresh out of Law School; the total Dominica population felt happy and proud of the late Eugenia, and the reason was the nation thought of her as a unique person since she was Dominica’s only, and perhaps first female lawyer.
Cilma Dupigny may have come later; if I am wrong on whom came first perhaps some Dominica historian, or someone with more information can correct me on that.
Anyway the first damaging thing of the late Eugenia’s career was when she took more than three ($300.00) hundred dollars from Hilton Thomas of Wesley to represent him in a matter ” Hilton Thomas vs Melville Hall Estate.
This was an case where Hutton the manager of the Melville Hall Estate accused Hilton of breaking into a whorehouse on the Estate and stealing fertilizer in an unspecified amount. Now I was still a kid, however I remember specific details of the matter, nevertheless, I am not prepared to disclosed wether Hilton committed the crime or. All I can say is that I know Hilton very well, he and father was practically raised in the same house, his father, fathered a child with my grandmother, my father’s mother; so I am certain of what I am talking about and no law-suite will develop from anything I say on this matter.
It is important to note the day of the trial while Hilton was in court facing magistrate Redhead, Grenada born in the court house in Marigot, Eugenia Charles was approximately half a mile away in the house of Hutton on the Melville Hall Estate having lunch!
This suits the term ” Sleeping with the enemy ” there is a movie with that title.
How can you properly represent your client, when you are closely related to the man who accused him of stealing from him. Needless to say Eugenia failed to represent Hilton Thomas.
As a result, Redhead sentence Hilton to serve seven years up there at Stock Farm.
Note: about 1958 – 1960, three hundred dollars could have bought what three thousand dollars can buy in Dominica these days, a one way ticket to England by ship in those days was $336.00.
Remember I said, I was walking bare feet, and without pants, so one can imagine I was still a kid; my second experience was while I was yet a kid; one day the Village Sub Post Master came to my grandmother’s house and ask me, ” Son what have you done,” and went on to explain to me that he had a letter for me in the post office, sent to me by none other than M. E. Charles (Mary Eugenia Charles).
When I had someone read the letter to me since I could scarcely read, I found out that Eugenia Charles accused me a little boy, of trespassing on the Londondearry Estate, owned by Frobell Laville where I engaged in the chopping down of timber, and engaged in the cultivation of Bananas, and she is demanding that I cease and desists the practice otherwise the necessary actions will be taken against me.
Note: I was less than thirteen years old.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
In all my life I have never held an ax in my hand never mind using one to chop down a bit of grass, or a tree, never mind timber
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
She should have made Dominica a Commonwealth Realm like the rest of the OECS, those PMs would have had more respect for Dominicans.
during the party’s decline i heared her on radio saying, she left one month’s salary in the treasury.After 15 years, was that good governance?someone please tell me.
shes known world wide
Dame Eugenia ….that was quality leadership,but since,we are well on our way to the pit toilet;lowest eb.
I cannot believe Dominica produce a Roosevelt Skerrit we really in the gutters now
Absolute gutters!!!!!!
15 wasted years under MAMO, not one investor!!!
But a surplus. Which government since had a surplus in the bank? I’m not sure what you understand by investors but to have a surplus in the bank as a nation you’d have to have investors. There are silent investors you know? OOOOPPPss you don’t know that and I bet you don’t know much! ugghhhh no wonder DA in the gutters a whole bunch of idiots are being obstacles to it’s progress and still tarnishing great Dominicans goood name. I see why when people go and get their education they stay away because your minds are completely stagnant! Can’t change stagnant minds!
IDIOT
Mamo,
Got so many book dealand movie offers,she never took them cause she like the simplicity of life.
UPDATES PLEASE
Whatever happened to the self-help div??
The youth skills training program??
The education trust fund??
Primary Health Care??
Social Security National medical health plan??
Summer School Program???????
NDFD?? Not the nonesense we have now.
ABOVE ALL, MAMO WAS THE ONLY LEADER WHO LISTENED TO THE PLIGHT OF THE PPL AND INVESTED IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.
I did not agree with all her policies but she was an examplary leader not only of Dominica but in the Caribbean.
What a shame that those who have followed her lack the fortitude and sense of country first that the Dame had.
Never before has Dominica had a leader that has been surrounded by such a cloud of corruption.
The good thing is that all ropes do have ends.
All the other caribbean islands left Dominica behind during eugenia charles time in power. UWP and labor party have done much more for Dominica in one term than eugenia 3 terms
sure workers and labor have done more for DA. Let’s see MAMO left a surplus and workers and labor left debt. you better get your shovel and start planting cause after skerritt finish china will practically own your behinds idiot!!
Ms. Charles was the best leader we ever had in Dominica.
She did not get rich over night like these fly-by politicians we have today.
During her time the rule of law was maintained and respected by all. Even if you were DFP,UWP or DLP you could not do what you want and get away with it.
Dominica has gone down the lowly roads since her days.
My people lets take back Dominica and put it back on the right path to prosperity.
Among all Caribbean men past and present, she most definitely had the biggest BALLS thus far.
What a great leader!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is a pity that the late Dame did not want publicity for all the help she gave to the poor. For exampe many poor Dominicans benefitted from a scholarship programme which she funded from her personal resources. Her achievements in health, housing, environment, education, agriculture, road construction, industry, foreign affairs, tourism etc. was to the benefit of all Dominicans.
I commend the Dominica Freedom Party for highlighting the good work of our Dominican heroes. Good move and keep it up.
Mamo, was a trend setter. WE were leaders in communications, had the best media, a national health care plan.
I grew up in the Eugenia Charles era. I started High School during her first term. So my appreciation of politics was influenced and shaped by her reign as Prime Minister. And I’m of the opinion that Eugenia Charles accomplishments as Prime Minister of Dominica is overrated.
As a personality and political figure…not much in the Caribbean could touch her though.
However her personal celebrity is disproportionate with the progress Dominica made under her watch. Which is not much when you consider she spent 15 YEARS at the helm.
We can fool ourselves but the records speak for themselves. After each term of office Dominicans became more and more alienated with her leadership. She went from 18/20 sets in her first term to barely holding onto to 11 seats by her third term. It was a case of “Where’s the Beef?”
Yes she was this strong, eloquent and charismatic political figure. But the arrival of her administration brought a lot of hope and expectations of taking Dominica “to another level.” Much of that expectation was fueled by Eugenia Charles herself. But sadly she underachieved.
Her “bark was much louder than her bite” as far as economic development was concerned.
I welcome but disagree with “We are Dominica” that “And I’m of the opinion that Eugenia Charles accomplishments as Prime Minister of Dominica is overrated”. He/She did not indicate or specify in the areas that he/she thought she was weak as are Dominicas developoment was concerned. Dominica came from an era of hurricanes and bad government and the achievements I saw were not sexy but the foundation was laid for moving for the best in Education, health,infrastuire, investment in co-operatives, small business etc etc….youth entrepuernership etc. The thing is there was not a “GREEN CLINIC”. and would not have been allowed by Charles Maynad ( RIP), Brian Alleyne, maybe Savrin, but I cannot speak for him papa…but the rank and file of the DFP would have pulled her up …Today kakarats scafrd of their PM Skerrit..
ALBEIT, THE DAME WAS NOT PERFECT,SHE HAD HER FAULTS BUT SHE NEVER TIEF DOMINICA MONEY, SHE HAD NO BROTHER IN PENSLVANNIA, NO BIN BOBOL, THAT WOULD BE UN HEARD OF……..WHERE SHE FAILED WAS SHE DID DISCIPLINE YOUNG AND UP COMING LEADERS LIKE SKERRIT AND THE REST OF THE REGIME..CALL A SPADE A SPADE…THEY DO NEED A LESSON IN GOOD GOVERNANCE, RESPECT, DISCIPLINE OF THE POOR, CONSTITUIIONAL MATTERS, ELDERLY AND YOUNG PEOPLE AND ESPECIALLY YOUNG WOMEN AND FOR DOMINICA…SHE WILL BE GREATLY REMEMBERED.
if you know her history so well then you should know that she rebuild dominica after it was devastated by hurricane david. that in itself required more than one term in office. dominica prospered during her reign, viva mama eugenia.
In addition,
When the DFP first came into office they had to clean up the mess OJ left. OJ was on a spending spree with the country’s purse. She had to find housing for ppl who were living in tents in the Winsor park and other places around the island. There was barely any money left in the treasury. Above all she was a strong advocate of the advanment of locally owned businessed. DCP. Marpin, PH Willliams, Eh Charles, Ma Baba are perfect examples. Today govt have Chinese competiting local business owners.
Oh shut up! What have you made of yourself you shameless one?
I must say that too totally agree with you, I to went to high school during that time, and though I considered myself as aliberal,she gave me a job, as a result of my parents and my support of her,however she was not reluctant to directly order my tranfer from the Portsmouth Sub-Treasury and susequent dismisal for my refusal to complie.
This was due to my outspokeness of cause.She was a leader that did not seek rices for herself from the people, she rightly said “you cannot give hungry people to share food” this is soo true as we can see that happening in this present drama that is unfolding in Dominica.I must say however though Eugenia Charles brought respect and set Dominica on the internation stage but Ecconomic wellbeing of dominica was not improved, I remember being in a meeting with her and other Freedomite Elite when the question of road improvement came up,there was a plan to divert the road under the Cainfield cliff, Mamo said “If we vastly improved the road network by creating different routes we would give creminals the better means of escape from the police…” so let each one be the judge for am sure the opinion are veried…”One mans freedom fighter is another’s terrorist”
You are forgetting the banana boom of the 1980s? That did not come just like that. That period of expansion came about because of the DFP’s restructuring of the industry and successfully negotiating aid from USAID for the industry.
Did you even remember HURICANE DAVID!! You remember how DOMINICA WAS AFTER that hurricane SUCK IT TO US? HOw long would a damage like that take to fix!!
This woman build the much needed infrastructure that all future governments have benefited from…… that made it easier for our development to progress!!
I think you’re just being ungrateful with your comment!!
Very well spoken! She was a well loved leader with a lot of character and political cloud. But as other people mentioned, it was during her time in government that Dominica got left behind. She massively failed to get Investment and help from her western friends. A missed opportunity!
YOUR TALKING OF STANFORD IN ANTIGUA. LOOK AT THEM NOW. YES A GOOD BIT OF OUTSIDE INVESTMENT WAS MISSED BUT WE OWED NO ONE. DOMINICA WAS TRULY AN INDEPENDENT STATE THEN. TODAY IF OUR COLLECTORS WERE TO COLLECT ON US WELL WE WOULD ALL HAVE TO LEARN SPANISH AND CHINESE WILL OUR LEADERS RUN TO THERE SECOND HOMES IN FRANCE AND USA.
SHE HAD MORE BALLS THAN THE MEN THAT ARE THERE TODAY.
I will not forgot Miss Charles. I disagreed with her at times but I cannot deny that she put Dominica first, was a true patriot, and possessed some characeristics that elevated Dominica during her reign. She is certainly missed. VIVA, MAMA EUGENIA!
It is so funny that this Historian can tells us how great and exemplary a Leader Dame Eugenia Charles was but because of selfish political crumbs for this current regime table, he is yet to denounce the various mis-steps and blatant corruption of this regime, we all hope and pray that one day persons like him will tell us like it is because we depend on persons like him to to inform us truthfully
Which historian you talking about there nuh? I hope is not Lennox eh because Lennox has done more for this country than your insignificant self would ever do.
He is a historian, not a political commentator.
Know your damn place. Bon
Hey … I was just going to say that. Two thumbs up!!
CIA … historians study history as in past time. There I thought the between them and themselves was enough for you guys. smh
i no longer take lennox words as gospel.
he has compromised his impartiality
She was great and exemplary. What’s your status? What have you contributed to Dominica? What have you sacrificed for over thousands of people? What danger did you put yourself in for social change? I bet nothing you coward! Corruption is all those in ministry after the good Dame left. Maybe you should first try doing something for your country before you go criticizing others who’ve obviously done a tremendous and excellent job!
WORDS FROM JFK – ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU – BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY . OK ! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR YOUR COUNTRY LATELY .
WHAT TREMENDOUS DEVELOPMENT YOU TALKING ABOUT.YOU MUST BE MAD.IF SHE DEVELOPED DOMINICA ,IT’S ONLY ROSEAU.SHE CAME TO THE US AND WAS FOOLED BY REAGAN.GIVE ME SOMETHING BETTER THAN THAT.SHE HAD LAND IN MOORE PARK AND SHE SAID LET MANICOU EAT THE BANANASTHANKS TO MR MIKE DOUGLAS WHO ACQUIRED THE LAND AND ALLOWED THE PEOpLE TO CULTIVATE THE LAND.THANK YOU
Your name says it all Born in USA, i did not expect a better comment from you because obviously you are confused,and small minded. Is that all the comment you have. Well i am glad Reagan fooled her because you got to stay in the US an run your mouth
Do reserch first please. Under DFP, the entire island was electrified for the first time. The best roads were built and are still in good condition. Publice works was a functioning body, now it privatized. Dca had the best primary health care program, social security use to pay your medical bills. Every major project that was built on the island was done without one loan taken. Look now dca has $27 million loan. Dca had a very high literacy rate, today all cat and rat graduating from university and yet still some of them can’t even write a complete sentence.
I agree with you on one thing. You are correct she only try developing Roseau. She could have upgraded Melville Hall airport with night landing. What she did she force liat to remove all the daily flights from Melville Hall and brought the down to canefield cross wind international airport. Her reason for that it was easier fro business people to fly into Dominica. Another thing she did the marigot hospital recieved an xray machine through donation she took the machine away from the marigot hospital and gave it to the princess margret hospital.Her reason for doing that the marigot hospital didnot need an xray machine. I agree that she was great citizen of Dominica how ever she was too conservative.
You mean reborn and idiot in the USA? Sound like a teabagger! Please a piece of land you dissing the lady for? You think the money skerritt recycling there he got it from the sky? Old money that there in DA. Mamo old money that there going around in circles since edison james decided to take most of it and sqaunder it on useless crap like new government vehicles that weren’t needed. What mamo did was efficiently allocate the best resources and left a positive bank account. All thos idiotic men had to do was budget and use the money properly. You born in USA, well I born DA and I tell you when edison come in that ministry and see all the money for the first two years of his leadership we saw the money went out the window! The guts of you ungrateful people!
Best leader Dominica has seen.
ViVa Mama Eugenia. Long live the Dame.
Under Ms. Charles she would send the poor to study Agriculture while the rich studied Tourism, Law etc. Yes good leader who only wanted the poor to remain poor and the rich to remain rich.
Thanks God for Skerrit everybody, rich and poor can go and study for anything of thier choice.
Oh before u all comment. We were the cradle of the Freedom Party the constituency which he thought he owned and did nothing their to allivate the plight of these people. Only 1% of the populace can say they went to study and these people were money people.
Thanks God again for Skerrit so many people are studying from this constituency.
RIP Charles Maynard. You were a good man who wanted to do so much for us but the Euguena kept you back. We still love you and will remember u as a down to earth man who went in all homes, clean or dirty but never promised what you couldnt give.
Absloutely nonsense from you!
asshanti you are so misinformed, please dont comment on things you have no idea of…
I am not sure where you got your facts from. But the Skerrit you there praising took all the principles of Mamo and now riding on their coattails. Mamo stared the education trust fund to help poor children get an education. She donated part of her monthly salary to the fund. She introduced the presidential scholarships and the students who were recipant messed up, some drop out of school and never came back to dca. Under DFP, Dca had the best educational programs. Whatver happen to the summer school program, Self-help division etc. You were taught to think and use your brains to the max. Today, everyone goes to study at whatever university will take them, but are they really smart?? Can you imagine some lawyers can hardly write a proper brief. Students leaving high school can barely spell their names, further more to write a complete sentence. Had Mamo not have been a dynamic leader, Skerrit would not he reaping the rewards today. Pa connet is a bad malade.
aMEN FOR THAT…AMEN…WELL SAID THAT WAS DYNAMIC………THE DAME WITH HER TEAM INVESTED IN PEOPLE TO BE INDEPENDENT AND NOT DEPENDENT ON HANDOUTD AT THE RED CLINIC….SHAME ON THIS SKERRIT GOVERNMENT
We need to see the potentials in people. Why fool yourself and say this person can become a doctor when you can see fully well he/she won’t make it past the first year. It about time we start hanging our hat where our hands can reach. Why waist money on someone who we see or know won’t become a doctor. Send them to study in the field where their potentials are. For example, the late Rossie Douglas sent a lot of people to Cuba to study on a scholarship, they came back an some of them cannot hold a job. I know of this young man who has worked every type of jobs. He just can’t hold a job. He studied to be a doctor, stayedd how many years in Cuba and now he’s in a foreign country working another job. Nothing to do with what he studied. From school he kept repeating every class. So why??????
I HAVE NEVER READ RUBBISH AND MIS INFORMED GABBAGE INMY LIFE……
I CAN LIST THOSE WHO WENT TO STUDY IN DROVES IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, EDUCATION..ALL ARE BACK NOW , THEY WERE CRADLED THEN…..THAT EDUCATION TOOK 3 – 5 YEARS, SHE INVESTED IN PEOPLE….SKERRIT BUYS PEOPLE…LOK WHAT HAPPEN TO SHENNEL IN TRINIDAD…….SH EIS NOW DEAD AND THIS MAN LIED ON THE RADION ,….SO MISFORMED AND HAD HIS WPRM SNR. LAWYER ON RADIO TALKING LIES…IS THAT WHERE YO GRADUATED FROM…..SO SORRY… KEEP DREAMING..
Name the rich people who became lawyers and tourism under Mamo. You so off base its not funny. If I recall the director of tourism was a lady from Mrigot, dca had a shortage of lawyers and those who were lawyers were already lawyers she met there and those like Tony Asatphan went to law school on their family’s money. SO please list the rich lawyers who under DFP became lawyers.
What are your accomplishments? The Dame has her legacy and as a Dominican you should be ashamed at tainting her image. What she did in the 15 years of her leadership is bring Dominica into the forth front. She couldn’t accomplish everything on your poor man’s list but she accomplished enough so that every Dominican should be grateful for her sacrifices. You all are some worthless people disregarding what this woman has done for the country. I bet you have no significant position anywhere but will come on a board and be so disrespectful. Agriculture is a great field to study. Are you saying agriculture is insignificant? you said she sent the poor to study it can’t you realize that most of the banana industry was built by poor mens’ hand?!!! That was the economy and there’s less rich than more poor. I think what you noticed is her allocating the best people to support the most important aspect of Dominica at that time the banana industry. Don’t forget under mamo more of those who studyied overseas came back and contributed to the development of this country. Spiteful idiot!
Thank You!! Robin….. Thank you!! I think most Dominicans do not realize all the sacrifice Dame Eugenia did for us. But they just look for any little negative and runnnnn with it!!
thats heart braking.i am so sad to here that
tHAT WAS A REAL LEADER WITH PRINCIPLES AND REAL LOVE FOR THE COUNTRY
In radio interview Ron Abraham said when he went to Mamo about a broadcasting license in partnership with a Canadian, she told him that she did not WANT ANY FOREIGNER OWNING ANY BROADCASTING COMPANY IN DA. Thats my kind of leader Dominican to the bone. I cannot say that now for some of the leaders that came after when i remember DOMLEC and now MARPIN partly foreign owned
Dominican women are a breed of tough females. The men unfortunately are nothing but a complete disappointment. The dame left ministry with a surplus of money in the bank and Edison came and destroyed everything this lady accomplished. This country is where it is today because of the incompetence and greed of the males in this society.
Robin you could not have said it better. Eddison,come with all his political venmon, they bitter like hell.
She was and will always remain an amazing and passionate woman who dedicated her life for the good of Dominica. She was an inspiration to this young generation and her lessons will live on. Thank you Dame Eugenia Charles and thank you God for blessing Dominica with someone like her.