Women called upon to focus on the positive

Daniel addressed the AGM on Monday
Daniel addressed the AGM on Monday

Women are being called upon to focus on the positives things in life rather than the negative.

The call came from Minister of Social Services, Gender Affairs and Family, Catherine Daniel, as she addressed the 27th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Dominica National Council of Women (DNCW) at the National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD) Conference room on Monday.

According to Daniel, one must find a positive environment so that positive seeds can germinate and women can be positive in whatever they do.

“What it is that we are seeking of women? What do we want? I know in the world we see a lot of biases against women but in Dominica what have we achieve? Where are we?” she questioned. “We should not voice our opinions only on the negative things that impact our lives but we must celebrate the positive. So when we come as an organization I think sometimes we focus on all the bad things that happens to us, but I think we need to celebrate first begin with the positive things, so as this can give us an impetus to feel good about ourselves first.”

She also called on women to look at the good within themselves.

“As women we often seek or advocate for equality, equity,” she stated. “We still seek to stop the violence we experience, but we as women we also need to take stock and ask ourselves are we creating for ourselves the environment which creates the lack of equity? Sometimes maybe because of circumstance and because of the people you surround yourself with, instead of uplifting you they bring you down and so you have to think of the environment in which you are.”

She mentioned that in life women endure a lot, “but do we sit and ask ourselves what we can learn from those dark moments? We have to take a time of reflections for ourselves.”

She warned that women should not allow people “to tug us here and tug us there”.

“Because at the end of the day when you sit and look in a mirror you see yourself so you have to take stock of your life,” she said.

Daniel also believes that women should first love themselves before they can be positive influence to each other.

“If you don’t love yourself nobody isn’t going to love you,” Daniel noted. “You have to learn to love, to appreciate yourself first before you can be a positive influence to other women. If you cannot do that for yourself, being in a group you won’t be able to achieve that.”

She want women to take time for reflection.

“So women when you go through your violence, all the difficult moments that you are going through, sit down, reflect and ask yourself, God what are you trying to tell me? No matter how bad the situation there is always a blessing,” she said.

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15 Comments

  1. opinion
    March 31, 2015

    Let not your heart be troubled. Ms. Daniel does not condone violence in any form against women or anyone for that matter. She is telling us not to remain in a situation where your dignity is compromised and if you do find yourself in a bad situation learn from it, so you do not find yourself there again later on in life. Women let us focus on the blessings. God is good all the time and it is not because the politicians say so, it’s because it’s the truth.

    • Titiwi
      March 31, 2015

      Opinion, NOBODY said anything about Ms. Daniel condoning violence, so why bring that into the conversation? Praying alone does not help, believe me. I remember only to well men of the cloth preaching to suffering women to to worry and be stoic because their reward would come in heaven. Pure drivel, we all have the right to be happy on earth also.

  2. TimTim
    March 31, 2015

    just a set of empty words….she should at least be able say something about women and cxc qualifications or something. something tangible.

  3. Views Expressed
    March 30, 2015

    What really is this address about…same old rhetoric message with nothing new or substantial to say to motivate those poor women who are asked to climb up the Read Clinic to beg a man for money.

    Madam minister …talk is cheap…

  4. The Facts
    March 30, 2015

    The Minister of Social Services stated to every D/can to be positive. The negative ones must do their best to assume a positive attitude. Negativity breeds contempt toward others. It is not a mark of love.
    If we do not live solely for ourselves, no matter what our problems, there are times we will still feel happy and be positive. I like to state, after all is said and done. :) Then we should say, no matter.
    The thought is crossing my mind, this Holy Week we specifically remember Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Passion to Calvary, His Crucifixion and Death. In Holy Scripture, St. Paul said, “We have not yet shed blood . . .” This is ample reason for us to set aside overall negative tendencies.
    I find negative people are boring. I do feel their company should be avoided for they do not contribute to harmonious company. Can anyone learn anything from a consistent negative person? Nothing can be achieved by it. A positive attitude should be cultivated and projected.

  5. The Facts
    March 30, 2015

    When people are undergoing problems, some do not realize that God is indeed telling them something but they pay no attention. They dwell all the time on their problems as if they are the only ones undergoing problems. They continue to look at the negative aspect and not the positive.
    For instance if they are being abused consistently and remain in that situation, instead of blaming another, think that God is telling you something. Use your discretion about that.
    There is a good side to being positive. I have stated a few times on this Website to be positive and cease consistent negativity in their comments. This attitude projects unhappy people who lack peace of heart and mind.
    There are positive matters occurring in D/ca. However, some are too busy wasting time, scrutinizing and sometimes being negative and complaining that what is positive bypasses them. They are not able to see it. This is missing the boat. A change of heart is necessary.

  6. March 30, 2015

    LADY Minister let me applaud you for those appropriate comments; just wish that you had stood up to be counted sooner than later when your male counterparts were so vehemently dispensing their brand of violence upon our female population (reminder violence is not only physical). We must learn to clean our house before we ask others to clean theirs.

  7. OneDestiny
    March 30, 2015

    Who writes these speeches. Lots of the ministers ramble incoherently. I think they need the services of a speech writer. To Her message however, I’d just like to say that I agree with the Minister. Lots of times, women, we are our own worst enemies and this is quite sad. The world is always going to be a man’s world. We need to empower ourselves and each other, so that we may achieve equity in society.

  8. Not a herd follower
    March 30, 2015

    OMG. Those people we have as Ministers…alas! God, please help Dominica. Please.

  9. Lang Mama
    March 30, 2015

    I agree with the words of the miister. So my dear women of Dominica when a next time a woman come and take your husband and have child or children with your husband stay positive. My dear women of Dominica one way to stay positive is to be careful about those who give advise whereas they themselves need the advise. Be careful of the preachers of good will who are themselves the soldiers of evil.

  10. Truth be Told
    March 30, 2015

    Lady, please give us something to celebrate. I want to begin to celebrate the end of violence against women in Dominica. I want to begin to celebrate the respect for our under age girls in Dominica. I want to begin to celebrate a Dominican society where domestic violence, rape, and child abuse against girls are unheard of! And I must conclude that your speech almost sound like you are telling women to take it and be quiet. Your speech borders on blaming women for their mishaps. I do not know why but I expected a lot better of you! What do you mean by, “So women when you go through your violence, all the difficult moments that you are going through, sit down, reflect and ask yourself, God what are you trying to tell me? No matter how bad the situation there is always a blessing.” What does God have to do with this? This is your solution and advice for a domestically abused or raped or molested woman? You must be joking!

    • The Facts
      March 30, 2015

      Your life, being alive is something to celebrate. When you awake in the morning and realize you are still alive; if you are healthy and able to stand on your two feet and walk; if you have all your bodily faculties, these are worth celebrating. Whatever else you possess, be it materially, they are some things to celebrate about.
      Have you ever heard that God also detests complainers and ungrateful people?
      The saying, “I thought I had no shoes until I saw a man with no toes.”
      A T & T Calypsonian sang, “Look on the bright side for the bright side is where we going. …”
      The Radio Program of the late US Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is entitled: “Life is Worth Living.” I add, in the Lord which is what he meant anyway.
      Life is what you make of it. Have confidence. Be positive! Look around you and see the good things instead of the bad ones. Live well and you will be a positive person. Keep in mind life is short; nothing lasts forever. Make the most of it and thank God.

  11. Ma Moses
    March 30, 2015

    Lady, there is nothing I would like to do more than celebrate something positive in Dominica, so please, produce something positive, motivate the people, encourage them and threat them with respect, both men and women. Just talking only makes bad things worse. Half a bottle is either half a full bottler half an empty bottle but either way, it is still only half a bottle. Call the bottle only full when it really is full and I will celebrate with you. Pretending does not fool anyone.

    • The Facts
      March 30, 2015

      Something is wrong and shall I state with you if you cannot think of and find something worthy of celebrating in God’s world. There are enough examples. If you cannot see them, pray to God for this enlightenment. May God bless you and inspire you.

      • Hmmm
        March 31, 2015

        Can you shut up for once! Gosh.

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