Candidate for the upcoming elections for Kalinago Chief, Anette Sanford, has said that her decision in stepping forward to serve the Kalinago territory, is to improve the economic, cultural and political life of her people.
She made this statement during a recent interview on Q95FM Radio.
“The past elections have been dominated by men and in a progressive society right now, where women [have] clearly demonstrated their capacity to lead and there are examples in my community, we have women principals, entrepreneurs; we have women involved in business and they are doing a fantastic job, I must say. I see absolutely no reason why a woman with the educational background, the experience and of course, the backbone to lead, cannot step forward and do so,”
Sanford is of the view that the Kalinago tertiary needs more than just survival right now.
“I think we need to excel economically. We need to excel culturally and politically so I decided to step forward to serve,” she stated.
She outlined some of her plans for her community which fall under three main objectives.
“Some of the plans I have come up with – there are lots of them – but they fall under three main objectives: to empower people through education, to preserve our culture and to improve the quality of life for the Kalinago people,” Sanford said.
She added that some of those plans are supported by a wealth of experience of working with the people, listening to their concerns, their frustration and their desire for a better life.
“Unfortunately, the cries we hear today are some of the very same cries that our ancestors long ago faced…the very same issues in just different times. We, as a Kalinago people, are still exploited economically. We are oppressed culturally and politically and I must say, this has to stop,” Sanford declared.
The well-educated, female candidate for Kalinago Chief brings professional training and experience into the race.
“I’m a registered nurse by profession; I have ten years of working experience. I have also moved on to specialize in health care administration. I have done a supervisory management course at the University of the West Indies (UWI) and I’m presently in my last semester of doing an online degree in nursing with a focus in leadership.”
She said she has been working with Sinekou Primary School (which she attended) by taking up the responsibility of sponsoring the student who is excels in science.
She said that she is thankful for the support she has received and encourages the Kalinago Territory to “join their hearts, hands and minds together with one vision and mission” to develop their community.
According to historian Dr. Lennox Honychurch, if she wins, Sanford will be the first woman to become Kalinago Chief of Dominica in the modern era but he says there are records of women being indigenous chiefs across the Caribbean before European colonization.
The elections for Kalinago Chief are scheduled to be held on the 22nd of July 2019.
*Editor’s Note* The article originally stated that Sanford was the first woman to run for Kalinago chief in the modern era. This has since been corrected.
dno why are you so selective ? Why not post some kind of resume of the other candidates with pictures.
Now that the election is over, what are you waiting for to post the results with the relevant statistics.
Also can you please remind posters and readers that the Kalinago council is a local government with the same profile and authority as city, town, village or urban councils.
ADMIN: Your assumptions are off. The election is scheduled for 22nd July 2019.
News by its nature is selective, and favours rarity. We did stories of uncommon candidates such as a story on one of the youngest candidates and a story on one of the few female candidates to contest the Kalinago chief election.
She is UWP decoy. To Push UWP aganda in the Kalinago and aim to Fustrate the Labour party government where ever possible.
Labour maybe by in power but with Mrs Sanford as Chief. Claudius Sanford and UWP will finally rule Kalinago Territory.
Labour supporters be on high alert.
The history of the Kalinago may well prove that the concept of “Chief” has to be in reference to the male gender. I learnt that in some ancient cultures, the Chief had to be someone who is the final authority on matters referred to him; someone who cannot be influenced by spouse; and someone who will lead his subject into “battles”, whether physical conflict or land disputes or inequalities. As such, a female could not be Chief because her husband rules her home and therefore he, the husband, could be the de facto Chief.
So the question remains: to what extent should a husband or boyfriend be allowed to influence the decisions of the Chief, should the Chief be a female?
She should run instead to be prime minister of Dominica to replace Mr CASH yours truly who said he runs things but instead is running Dominica into the ground. Dominica needs an educated honest person as Prime Minister not a money grubber con man draining the treasury and the C B I program of all the CASH.
Mrs. Sanford I applaud you for taking this opportunity and look forward to calling you CHIEF Sanford. As a person of mixed Kalinago decent, I am very troubled about the “allegations” reference the abuse of our Kalinago sisters (albeit many well educated ones) by some who hold the key to aid or assistance in our country. It is common knowledge that many have been used and abused simply because they went to ask for help from those whom they thought would do so.
Please promise us that you will create an environment where these abused sisters will come and report the “alleged abuses” (keep a list) to facilitate a serious investigation at the appropriate time. Good luck to our future Kalinago Chief.
Go for it. I love your passion.
Are there only people with the last name as Sanford in the Kalingo territory or Is Sanford the most popular name in that community? Every person who emerges from that community lately seems to be a sanford!!!
always and ambitious woman, inspiring. i am with you on that one. i wish you all the luck.
Like the the Douglas’ of Portsmouth, are we seeing an emerging Sanford Clan of Kalinago ? it seems that the name is resonating with any and everything Kalinado. Hope the young Queen, if successful, can continue to transform her peoples condition for the better.
Then Dr. Lennox Honychurch is wrong and should revise his history because in 1989 Bernadette Frederick, retired nurse made history as the first Kalinago woman to run for the position of Chief she lost by just over 80 votes.
Ask the electoral office for the record and correct this wrong information.
Thank you for these corrections in this and other postings. There have been three women who have contested the Kalinago Chief elections but none who have succeeded in the modern era. My apologies for this oversight in replying to DNO as I was asked the question by phone while I was on the move and did not have documents at hand.
ADMIN: The article has been updated.
Thank you Dr. Honychurch for the clarification and being gracious enough to accept fault.
However, we acknowledge that ultimately it is our responsibility in publishing and verifying this information.
I hope you fight for the protection of women particularly against bribery and abuse for scholarships, physical abuse, protection of baby Sarah, fight against adulterous men in high offices who cause divorce og peoples marriages etc.i hope you do fight for women because obviously the female ministers mello mills,joseph john, gee Joseph wont
Great things. Pleased to hear. However our historian is wrong on this part. Five years ago Miss Valmond ran for this position
The future is female. This was inevitable.
I wish to correct my friend Dr Honeychurch information.
In 1989 Mrs Bernadette Fredeick contested the the kalinago Chief elections.
In 2009 Judith Frederick also contested the elections.
Annette Sanford will be the third (3rd) kalinago woman to contest for that position.
will you ask skerritt for the 20m
It’s ‘woman time’.
@go for it – Ummmm, what exactly does “It’s ‘woman time'” mean?
Congratulations to Ms Sanford.. We wish you success in your work to lift the Kalinago people..
I cant tell which one is Anette Sanford
ADMIN: The caption says Sanford is on the left