One of the two women to form the new Dominica Labour Party (DLP) government, Gloria Shillingford, said hard work and prayers gave her the edge over her predecessors at last Fridays polls.
Shillingford captured the Wesley seat over the United Workers Party (UWP) candidate Ezekiel Bazil. That seat had been held by the UWP since 1995.
She said in an interview with the media this week that a team effort, including the people of the constituency and her management team, has made her victory possible.
“I am indeed grateful and to God be the glory. Twenty years in opposition is not easy and I had decided that it was time that my people got proper representation and God has given us this gift,” she said.
Shillingford said when she lost in the 2005 elections she could have left, but instead she decided that her people were more important.
“I was determined to serve my people. They know that. When they need someone, I am accessible. I have decided to stay with them through thick and thin and we could laugh and cry together. They trust me and they saw the work that I
have started and they said they wanted me to continue that work,” she said.
Shillingford, who served as an educator for more than 40 years, said her main focus will be on the youth.
Farmers will also receive some attention, according to her.
The other female member of parliament is Justina Chares who won the Grandbay also won on a DLP ticket.
well said Tryphena….
I heard Mrs. Shillingford got more votes in WoodfordHill, so did 250 people come down to woodfordhill to vote too? or was it 300? Let us put our personal differences aside and think of our country. For about 3 terms now ( 15 yrs) we never seems to have had good representation in woodfordHill and Wesley. It’s about time no? I would think so, but some others seems not to and are just bent on talking and criticising just for the sake f it.
I didnt vote, but indirectly she is my parl rep because i have relatives and friends in the constituency and I visit once a year.. and guess what? when I do visit I like to see improvements, like when I last visited and saw that the road leading to the playing field in woodfordhill was concreted and was told that it was through the hard work of Mrs. Shillingford. I attended a credit Union AGM and who was there representing? Not our “real” parl rep who was voted but Mrs. Shillingford. We have to give jack his jacket and jacklyn her lipstick; lets stop the criticism and get down on our knees and do more praying for our leaders and especially our young people.
Mrs Shillingford I dont expect you to do everything because we cannot please everyone, but I know you will do your best. Continue to seek God and He will bless your efforts and multiply them. Blessings and you’re in my prayers.
FET… well said! I have known Mrs Shillingford for quite some time and she remains the same- no preference lady..everyone gets the same treatment people…If you went to school when she was the principal you would know what she was like. Ashamed and all the others who have so much bad things to say, Mrs Shillingford is all about HARD WORK AND PRAYERS!!! Look at her lifestyle! Her accomplishments!! Nothing but hard work and prayers..so to those of you who wish to try and belittle or say you are ashamed of her…too bad! I’m not! She is the best mom, principal, friend, daughter, sister, parl rep anyone could have….now for all those vain talkers…bon debarra! Good riddance!
Well said Francisco….The community has spoken …..Glo has the class and dignity to handle all this
ignorance and she will treat them as her own ,it comes naturally to her.
You know I take offence to such comments, those are fighting words, nonetheless, I’ll simply say this, we in Dominica or wherever we are like to sit and make senseless comments, we refuse to lift a single finger to make a difference in the life’s of people, and when the brave, and the willing makes an effort and is successful in their efforts, there are faceless, and nameless people who hide behind computers and write their derogatory comments without foundation.
I ask this faceless, and nameless person, who are the rouges Gloria is associating her name, or self with?
People for quite sometime been complaining about corruption in government in the country.
Allegations after allegation, nonetheless, not one single person has come forward with a single shred of evidence to substantiate their allegations which the police can use to prosecute the rouges whom it is alleged has committed crimes whiles in political office.
Gloria’s concern is not the ” other persons business,” and what it is alleged they have done, or not done. Gloria concern at the moment, and priority’s are the Villages of Wesley, Woodford Hill, and Calibishie.
Let us wish her well, and hope she conducts the people’s business effectively , because that’s what she is elected to do.
The political campaign is over and wether we like, or dislike the result, we must accept the fact that the people of the country has spoken, and it would appear that they have spoken collectively and in unison. And let me end here by saying, have no doubt in your mind that Gloria, will be honest, and do what is legally right in her endeavors.
By nature she is not the kind to indulge in devious practices, I can attest to her character, as I am from her stock, her farther Jonathan Dodds is my biological uncle, and my mother Yvonne Dodds is her biological aunt, our family has a reputation, and indulging in the wrong is not part of that reputation.
She is from a long line of highly educated people, and former educator, followed in the footsteps of her older sister, who immigrated to England in the 1950’s her older brother, Evance, who served in the as Methodist Minister in both North and South America, now serving the Wesley, and Marigot Methodist Church, her brother Cyrus, also a former School Principal, I will not mentioned her cousins the children of our uncle Titus Dodds, and others.
So I advise that Gloria is not an idiot, and one can trust her to do the correct, and most appropriate thing to her limitation as a human being
Be ashamed if you like, but Gloria has nothing to be ashamed of!
Glor should be ashamed to associate herself with such a bunch of rogues…and these people dare to call themselves…..she knows that she couldn’t have won that seat without the…..I saw their names Glor so i cannot be fooled…but good luck with everything…and remember that God ins in charge and he will be your ultimate judge!!
Some people just cant bow out gracefully. WORKERS YOU LOST. PUT IT IN YOUR PIPES AND SMOKE IT. CONGRATS GLOR. WOMAN RULE
Congrats teacher Glo for a job well done. First you educate the parents, then the children.If this was
not enough you educated our grand-children. What a lady you are a gem of our community
In our church you have guided us. I know that you will continue to support your people
through the next five years and beyond as this is a job you have been assigned to as early as a teenager….God Bless Teacher Glor.. the people of Wesley and Woodfordhill are blessed to have you as their leader….we salute you!
“Congrats” Who were the 250 ghosts you all keep talking about?where were they hiding! Wesley must have been really hoping with 250 diaporians! LMAO
As the saying goes someone else did all they work and others are swimming in sweet oil. Lets see how the new Wesley Pal Rep will take us to the next level. All eyes are on you. Remember Skerrit admonition in Possi, STAY CONNECTED WITH THE PEOPLE. P.S. who is moving move to Mount Daniel, Roseau????????.
Wesley/Canada you need to get a life, we finally have somone to effectively represent us, no one cares about you and your sad stories. Get over yourself.
Bunny………… no comments. Only persons who can find absolutly no character flaws resort to the antics that you are displaying. Which only reminds the people of Wesley/Woodfordhill that we made the best choice.
Mrs. Shillingford, you are the best Pal. Rep. that Wesley has ever had. Congrats….. we stand behind you 100% of the way!
250 people from Wesley? oh plz, stop the nonesense, if all those people had come down to vote u dont think that it would be obvious.. dont think any one party that stupid
Which hard work. What prayers. stop using these two attributes as scape goats. What really paid off is the amount of persons who were brought in from the diaspora to vote for you. The Wesley list was long and you and I know that. Anyway congratulations lets hope Skerrit will make you the Min of Education cause you have the experties as a former Principal and a holder of an Degree in Education. And please when he does let us make sure that the JSP programme is reinstated at the primary schools. You and i both know the success stories at the then St Andrews High when you were the Principal as some of your students were products of the JSP Programme. Also give thought to placing graduate teachers at elementary level. This is the 21st century, Our primary eduacation needs an injection of current best practices and highly qualified teachers. This in turn will establish a more solid foundation for those students who are forced into this Universal Secondary programme. The truth is many of the youngsters who are sent to secondary are not ready to cope with the rigornof high schoo and that is the genesis of the break down in discipline. We also need trained psychologists at the schools to serve as guidance councellors They must be up to Masters level. Our schools need school nurses so I also want to suggest that we start putting policy in place to place a nurce at each school Primary and Secondary. These are just a few suggestions for you to start thinking about as I hope you will be graced with the position of Min of Education.
Congrats Shillingford on your victory. Although i don’t support your party i support you as a WOMAN. God bless you.
the 250 people that come down in Wesley really help boy! Congrats
I must say, Congratulations Aunt Gloria. I know you will continue to make the people proud that they have put their trust in you..Love and good wishes.
bunny, why do u need photoshop?
like you can fool somebody , we all know what happened fool us
I am from the Wesley constituency, and i did give you my “X” Miss.Shillingford. Continue the good work u started……we love u…
Great going Gloria: if You are reading this, I’ll call you when I get back to Los Angeles, on Sunday!
Son.
god. where is photoshop when u need it?
Congratulations Mrs. Shillingford….. MAy God bless and guide you along your journey.
congrats to you my former teacher and principal.its good to rip rewards for hard work especially when so much money was invested in getting ppl in to vote.you mentioned your priority is to work with the youths and thats good.so lets start by having government spend some of the remaining 22.5 million dollars towards purchasing desk and chairs for the NORTH EAST COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL LOCATED IN WESLEY that the poor hard working parents don’t have to continue buying them off their pockets and still try to provide meals for the children.you finally have the chance to give representation to the ppl of wesley woodforhill and we’ll be looking foward to working with you and expecting you to deliver on campaign promises.
Congratulations to you Mrs. Shillingford on your tremendous victory at the polls on December 18th. I know that this is a victory for your people of Wesley and Woodfordhill and they should truly be honored to have such an honest, dedicated, compitent and kind hearted Parliamentary Representative. Seeing you work for the people of the constituency left no doubt in my mind that you would be elected to serve them in the manner they deserve.
As a Senator, Sec. Gen. of the National Commission of UNESCO, Principal and every other capacity that you have served this country, you have done so in a manner that we they young people can look up to and seek to emulate. Now as the Parl. Rep. of Wesley I know you will rise above and beyond all expectations!!!!!!
I pray God blesses you with health, wisdom and strength to continue leading the people of the Wesley constituency into a new and unprecedented level of development.
Best wishes to you Mrs Shillingford!!
congrats Mrs S. …the hard work payed of…. looking forward for effective representation. Wesley is finally in the house…
Congratuations to you and to the people who voted for you. As per my title, I know very little
about Wesley, but I am always very proud to see a woman in POWER! Make the best of it!
Congratulations to you Mrs. Shillingford. I visitied in 2008 and saw some of the work you accomplihed and I was hoping that woodfordhill people would do the right thing and vote for you. I also saw a video of the work done in Wesley and was hpoing the same. Now they have voted for you I wish you the best and I will keep you in my prayers, cause being a parl rep is not an easy job, everyone is expecting you to do something for them and please them. I know next time I come home I will see the furthrer improvements in our village. Thanks for thinking about our yooung people, when I visit or listen to the news I always ask what is being done for our young people and was somewhat disappointed. God Bless you
From: a fomer student-woodfordhill leaving overseas