Thirty Dominica Women were recognized by the Business and Professional Women (BPW) for their hard work and dedication during its second annual awards ceremony.
The ceremony took place at My Mother’s House, the former Evergreen Hotel on March 10.
President of the BPW Rhoda St John said every year the organization recognizes 20 local women and 10 Dominican women living either in the region or on the international field.
“Last year we did our first annual salute to women where we honoured 30 women and this year, we are doing our second where we are honouring another 30 women,” she said during an interview with State-owned Radio DBS. “Next year we already have the 30 women assigned for 2025.”
She continued, “They have already been written to and accepted, so we are planning for 2025.”
St John believes that women should be honoured and appreciated for their hard work.
“Many times we overlook the women who do well, we overlook women who have laboured in the vineyard, we overlook women who have served our communities, served our country, served their homes, served their families,” she stated. “We have women who have been dedicating their time, their money, their effort and nobody says thank you.”
She added, “So, we just saw it as a way of saying thank you to these women.”
BPW Dominica is a chapter of the BPW International Federation of Business and Professional Women which was founded by Dr. Lena Madesin Phillips in 1930 (91 years ago).
On November 16, 2016, BPW Dominica was born and today the organization boasts a diverse mix of over 50 women, who, according to the group, stand committed to empowering women and young girls in Dominica.
BPW’s members include influential women leaders, entrepreneurs, business owners, executive professionals, young business professionals, and other professional women in over 100 countries, on five continents. The organization also has consultative status at ECOSOC/United Nations.
The list of women who were awarded is attached below:
Adina Bellot Valentine, Public Relations Officer
Ernie Charles-Harris, Macrame Artist
Jo-anne Prince, Social Worker Special Educator
Annette Bates, Retired Nurse
Jamie Alleyne, Entrepreneur
Saraya Elwin Simon, Educator & Principal
Avlyn Alexis, Business Owner
Claire Joseph, Business Owner
Deirdre LaBassiere, Director/ Entrepreneur Leadership Consultant
Diane Blanford-Williams, Credit & Business Development Associate NBD
Lizra Fabien, Project Manager Consultant
Dr Anthea Burton-Elwin, RN. BSN. MSN. PHD
Donna Lewis Phillips, Accounting Officer Project Management Unit DOWASCO
Daryl Aaron, General Manager Bay Garden Resort
Dr. Simone Mathiere, Associate Professor of Psychology & Media Producer
Dr. Nadia Wallace MD, DM Psychiatry Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr. Genora Joseph, Civil & Environmental Engineer
Irma Sharon Vidal, Business Owner Youth Advocate
Jennifer Nanton, Sports Educator
Jo-anne Durand, Teacher Educator
Vanya David, Executive Officer & President DNCW
Lucy Belle-Matthew, Justice of Peace Councillor Roseau City Council
Marva Williams, Marketing Manager
Maxine Alleyne-Esprit, Communications Officer IOM-UN
Sandra Frampton, Business Owner/ Florist
Monique Jacob, Marketing Specialist Independent Marketing Consultant
Olivia Maurice, Ferriera Entrepreneur
Rhona Riley, Executive Secretary Cabinet Secretary
Sonia Williams, Retired UNESCO General Secretariat
Veronne Nicholas, Software Developer IT Manager
Here we go again, when last 30 outstanding dominican men was singled out for an award? It doesnt happen, Look a young girl win queen and shes gonna be sent for a full scholarship ride. What about the young men, everywhere I turn is “empower women”. I’m all for that but women is already empowered, i’ll say it again. You gonna have all these highly educated women in a society…but where’s the equal in stature men for them? A large majority of those men sitting on the block cause they not being assisted or helped or pushed or given chances. Everything is women women women. Keep it up.