On Tuesday, May 18th, Mrs. Marcia (Chrissie) St. Hilaire-Finn, the daughter of Roseau merchant Ms. Annette St. Hilaire, testified before the U.S Senate bi-partisan Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The hearing was on Paid Leave for working families, examining access, options and impacts. The Committee is chaired by Senator Patty Murray (Democrat) of Washington State with Senator Richard Burr (Republican) of North Carolina as the Ranking member.
Chrissie who holds a Bachelor of Nursing (BSN), practiced Pediatric Nursing for twenty-five (25) years in New York State, DC and Maryland. She is the Founder and CEO of Bright Start Early Care and Preschool in Washington DC. St. Hilaire- Finn as a member of a coalition of Small Business owners in the Greater Washington DC area which advocates strongly for a U.S National Paid Family Leave program and common sense standards for earned sick days.
Chrissie told the Senate Committee that in the interest of the health and well-being of her employees, the onus was on her small business to offer family and medical leave through whatever means possible when they have a family emergency. This all changed and was a huge relief and game changer when last July Washington DC enacted its Paid Family Leave Program which offers up to eight weeks of paid parental leave to bond with a new baby (parental) and up to six weeks of Family leave to care for covered sick family member and up to two weeks leave to care for the employees own serious health condition (medical leave).
Now the recruitment and retention of her employees and other small businesses which are members of the coalition are much easier due the passage of the Family Leave Program in DC. Prior to the action taken by the DC City Council, her business incurred multiple and unpredictable spikes in payroll costs which were very difficult and challenging for her company.
During her testimony, St. Hilaire- Finn urged Congress to enact a similar law like DC’s for the entire Continental United States. Not just for the benefit of small business and their employees, but as a growth engine for the U.S economy. This will allow small businesses which are the main employers in the U.S to compete with large Fortune 500 companies. It will also help to address the work force shortages and small entrepreneurs to grow, remain visible, viable and profitable.
During the Hearings’ Q & A segment, Chrissie was asked questions by Democratic Senators Patty Murray of Washington state and Jacky Rosen of Nevada. But the toughest question and exchange was with the former Republican Presidential candidate who lost to President Obama in 2012. Mr. Mitt Romney who is currently a Republican Senator from the state of Utah asked about the benefits of caring for a child in a Childcare Center as oppose to being cared for at home as he was.
She answered confidently and said that where that could occur is fine. Also where a partnership could be fostered between the home and a quality child center it would be advantageous for the development of the child’s cognitive, social and educational skills. She reminded the gentleman from Utah that not all Americans have the option and opportunity of taking caring of their children at home. A large percentage of the U.S work force are single mothers and essential workers who must leave home to work, and they need affordable and quality childcare services.
Chrissie and husband Emanuel are very proud parents of two teenage girls Sari and Alanna who are Diaspora based National Football players. Sari is a second year engineering student at North Eastern University (NEU) in Boston. Alanna is a rising senior at St. John’s College High School in Washington DC. They returned to the U.S in early May after spending six months sheltering the Covid pandemic (and studying abroad) in Dominica. As a result of this experience, they now have a much greater appreciation and understanding for their heritage, Dominica and its culture.
Chrissie St. Hilaire-Finn is a great representative of intelligent and industrious motherhood. She is a true daughter of the soil, and a distinguished ambassador for our island; one who makes us all proud. She learnt well from her mother Annette St. Hilaire who was equally bright, gracious, and kind. May all Dominicans take rightful pride in our heritage of excellence and emulate her good example in academia and business. Let us never sell ourselves short. Congrats Chrissy, from all of us. Well done!
Well done classmate. You are definitely on the move.
I didn’t read every thing you wrote, so to you probably made sense in your last sentence and I didn’t notice. But, had you ‘read’ the story before belittle Rasta with that comment you’d ‘read’ she was in Dominica 6 months while ‘You’ stayed away and she returned to USA in May. Sorry if i missed something but please read the last sentence then make a sensible comment.
Well done! Women on the move.
Chrissie, Congrats!! So nice to see how well you are doing! Wish you the best in your small business endeavour and future career pursuits.
Go Girl!!
A wise man from an Ivy University in the US once said bragging is personally imploring what you believe to be status elevating thoughts on your audience. I had to go look up the meaning of press release again – a short compelling story written by a public relations person and sent to targeted members of the media. It should contain all the essentials of who, what, where, when, how but most importantly why?
CONGRATULATIONS to Chrissie St Hilaire Finn on your advocacy at the highest level of the US Government on behalf of women and children, Your family should be very proud of you. Big up Ma Annette St Hilaire. You have shaped and nurtured strong, progressive children.
“Chrissie who holds a Bachelor of Nursing (BSN), practiced Pediatric Nursing for twenty-five (25) years in New York State”
I can’t help but notice the above statement. How old was she when she started that career? She looks so young in that photo –unless it is not a recent photo
Some people age gracefully because they look after theirselves.
Some people have large titles and scream shout and demand honor but….. I think honor can come from earned titles that manifest in simple humble working people who advocate for and yearn to lift up others…. particularly the common man.
You are blessed, honored and highly favored Madame!!!! You will no don’t join a list of high achievers not for yourself but for the common working man and woman.
Dominica have high achievers outside of the PM.
Honors Peace and Blessings!!!!
I think this husband and wife team loves to be in the spotlight. I am happy for her but I hardly see her presentation to the American Congress as being worthy of a press release particularly as it relates to Dominica.
I will only say, Hahahahahaha. Go figure.
It is fact that there are many high ranking Dominicans who are very smart, very eloquent and above all very rich and they all say that they care and love their (Dominica) yet they allow that so loved and cared Dominica to be hijacked and bruised by one man (Roosevelt Skerro). Shame.
You are so very right. Shame on all of them!
So Mamzelle have soh much Accolades I wonder what contribution she made or makes to the plight of little children in Dominica,,,
Rastar have trouble wiff dem people dere you know dat forget their roots,,,
So who cares if she go testify before God and testify about plight of people as long as she doh forget is DA she come from,,,
DNO allyou always coming on here talking about how great these people are but lets start talking about what contribution they gonna make to Dominica nuh instead of talking about how High they living on their Horses,,,
Rastar not taking noffing from dem people yeh, dey did what they did make their sacrificies and whatever to be where they are today good for dem, but lets start a conversation about building Dominica nuh and making contribution for the benefit of the generations to come!!!
You sound like you need some roots…. You sound like a fake trying to pretend