I almost expected to hear an outcry “Captain, there is a traitor on board examine the horns” in the meeting hall where I had found myself after being invited to this sizable assembly of very committed and vocal people in a State overseas.
There were only three of my species present. You know the species I mean? The one the Bible claims is the head of the home though some women say that in some homes our species is the head of nothing. Yeah you guessed it- the male species.
You see it was a women’s gathering, with women speakers, women audience, women’s ideas and a distinct intolerance to any man like me who dared to accept a member’s invitation to attend even if I sat way back from the stage. Indeed I felt like a ‘met veye’ among them whenever the speakers got emotional enough to berate and exaggerate the failure of manhood to the ballistic degree.
The main speaker however was a lady who boasted her doctorate three or was it four times in her twenty minute speech. She opened her talk with a rousing call, “The world would be a better place if more politicians were female-do you agree?” Shouts and cheers took over the hall. One ample-bodied female usher who looked like a wrestler locked eyes with me and asked, “Do you agree?” to which I hastily replied,“Oh yes of course”
Here is an excerpt from what the featured speaker said: “Unlike men, women possess special qualities of leadership that help in maintaining fair and corruption free politics. In France it was Joan of Arc, in America Harriet Tubman a slave who became an American icon, in India Indira Gandhi, in the Bible Mary Magdalene, and there is Mother Teresa and others like them who took the lead efforts in governing and bringing unity among the global people for rational development, keeping our paradise earth still green. Hence, women’s involvement in politics should be welcomed universally because the world will be a better place if more politicians are female.”
Historically, in Dominica most women were not interested in political office, they only cared for having a comfortable life, meeting a nice man and getting settled down with a family just like their mom did. They were busy washing, polishing and cleaning homes and struggling to make ends meet. But today women are just not like that anymore. They are leaders in nearly every aspect of our life except one.
Despite that we have had 13 General elections and 9 leaders since adult suffrage, there has been only one female head of our government Eugenia Charles, who, Vic Riviere on a political platform, labelled ‘Mamo’ as an attempt to ridicule the freedomites calling her “Viva Mama” as he argued that she had no children. The name stuck. Indeed she was the first Caribbean female Prime Minister.
The House of Assembly is dominated by male representatives though the female Speaker of the House does her best to balance that equation, by tossing some men out on occasion. There are only two women elected to the House and one of them only made it in a safe party seat and the Senate is even worse. The women who brave it out in politics seem more inclined to ‘just fit in’ than lead. Some say it is because of the scandalous political platforms, naked lies and just the way politicians go at each other and the women cannot take that. Oh Yah? Women have been taking unfair “blows” since Eve was formed from Adam’s rib.
Did ‘Mamo’ make a difference in the lives of we the Kubulians in any meaningful way or is it just the reputation she developed for inflexibility and wielding the staff of correction that we most remember? Was that stiffness as a result of trying too hard to prove she was as good as a man? She presented the same kind of budget with the same unfulfilled promises just like the men do. It is felt that a woman is softer, more approachable, that they are more concerned for the environment and all of those lovely things but to my mind, all politicians behave the same after they get voted in.
However, there does not seem to be another woman political leader anywhere close on the political scene at this time or even in the near future. It may be that the women in the Diaspora who are hiding in plain sight and have gained tons of education and experience would have to come back to balance the equation.
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Maybe the article should have mentioned Labour stalwart Mabel Moir James. What about the founding members of the DLP? I seem to recall that it was a certain female who dreamed up the idea. Do you know who I am talking about Denis? I will give you a clue her initial SA?
WOMEN WONT MAKE A DIFFERENCE I DOE KNOW WHO FOOL THIS IDIOT,HE RECENTLY BROKE HIS VIRGINITY SMH
It is ‘AUNTY’ SONIA WILLIAMS the people want. More power to women. We Women are more disciplined and better organized. Trust me PM SKERRO take a walk down Roseau South and speak to your people , in fact THE PEOPLE, and they will tell you that there is dire need for a new parl rep and are fed up with ” T PAPA ” and Sonia is the best replacement for us. She is the new MAMO- a no nonsense person who has earned the respect of the people in the area. Hard working and fully committed to our development……we had too much cornFAKE as our parl rep its time for SONIA WILLIAMS !
why couldnt we have our first woman cheif of police and keep the history going,but not alix b knight.
Don’t blame the author for men demise in the world.
I agree…we should have more women in Government…women are alot more sensitive to the problems…
when u get a good woman u get a good one but when u get a slacker -problems for so.
Denis well laughing all you…….. joke he making!
Nice topic, but I am convinced that you can not write without exposing your biasness.
Well…I’ve never heard of a female despot or dictator!
u never heard of MAMO!!!! THE IRON LADY….
Don’t be daft. Who hasn’t heard of Mamo? Not everyone may have been happy with her style of leadership but it is undeniable that, even to this date, she is universally recognized and even admired. Remarkable for the leader a speck of a country like ours. Maybe the problem was that she had bigger balls than any of the males in the parliament of her time and did not suffer fools gladly.
VOTE SONIA WILLIAMS FOR ROSEAU SOUTH DLP CANDIDATE AND PARL REP COME 2014/2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS
I really do not see the issue regarding this, women have always played an essential leadership role in our country. We have had quite a number of women who have been ministers of government.
The issue of leadership should not be about gender but about character and ability to perform the tasks.
God All Mighty knows the wisdom behind allowing the men to be the head; this has absolutely nothing to do with Eve eating from the tree or that she is inferior or that she was created from the rib of Adam. It is simply known that the natures are different, the same way men do not make children, women do not ejaculate with sperms.
Yes there will always exceptions to the rule when it comes to women in politics but the norm is and always will be that politics, engineering, architecture, mechanics, pilots etc will always be male dominated areas. It has been like this for thousands of years. It is not because women are inferior but it’s because of their nature people. When men and women are out there competing with each other instead of complimenting each other who suffers? The children! On a state level these high careers especially for nuclear families on the couple have proven disastrous for children.
When we corrupt divine law, make the man like the woman and vice versa we are setting a very dangerous pattern indeed. We see it in the destruction of the basic unit of a society, the family.
One word: utter rubbish!
Look at the reality on the ground with regards to juvenile delinquency and you will see the rubbish you all created with this feminism garbage!
It is time for our people to deconstruct this destructive war between man and woman.
Look at the Jewish families for e.g, you don’t see them running around in ghettos, doing drive bys, shooting each other. There are many Jewish women who are professionals and doctors who prefer to stay home, home school their children and raise well balanced nurtured children.
I completely disagree with the author, if his theory is implemented it doesn’t do any good for the society as a whole.
Actually that’s 2 words
Dominica would be a better place if more politicians were women? Whaaaaaaaaa. Oh noooo my good sir!! I completely disagree with you on this theory.
if u fully understood… u’d realise he wasn’t in support of the idea but put it out there for debate lol…. see how it change course when he spoke about mamo??? read and understand….
I agree 100%
am a man and am with this a 150%,not just dominica all over the globe.men have been running things for so long and see the mess humanity are facing,we need some changes we need to give women a chance lead.one love
You agree because you are not a real man!
Well said Denis, the educated in the diaspora have to return home if we are to achieve the black dream of true adult suffrage.
A provocative thought mr. Joseph but I do think that bringing more women to the fore in the political arena creates a semblance of stability, sanity and reflection and less impulse, testosterone-driven behaviour. Even more, women make excellent leaders as exemplified by the likes of Golda Meir, Indira Ghandi, Angela Merkel or indeed, our own Eugenia Charles to name but a few. It’s like our society where the male make the noises and does the prancing but the female is organised and holds the family together. I’m generalizing, of course but I certainly would welcome a larger female presence in the House. Looking forward to lively debate on this one!
This one had me cracking up when u say she tossing some of them out the house,now with the one’s u talk about in the diaspora plz don’t let one of them be my sister shir u guys can add the rest.
Very witty article. I enjoyed reading and giggled throughout.
This, my friend is what good journalism is about.
Just the headlines alone I read and i thumbs up.
so that’s how the name Mamo came about hhmmmmm…. so if you’re a real freedomite… desist from saying ‘mamo’… since it was meant to mock her…. u all should say Viva Mama…. lol…. i must agree mamo sounds better… we worry about villas… if a woman would get into p.m and corrupted as men… we’d have to worry about mountains of Louboutins (Red Bottoms)… and u know them things not cheap… half of our national budget would go to upkeep n pampering for an all female cabinet… and we’d need 3 state malices lol…. all equipped with exquisite egyptian hand made chandeliers… oh and don’t forget a high level of promiscuity…. women with power are very bold and aggressive… lots of young men would be taking trips to cayman n bora bora all paid by the state
MOTS do you hate the women population so much???
Women, get the jobs done despite of what the circumstances are. They would not steal, Kill nor destroy.