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09th
March 2010
CHERRY RED?!!
M.G. George
 Less
than six hours before the country observed International
Women’s Day (yesterday), women activist
Flavia Cherry made an appeal to women to bring
Saint Lucia to a state where their rights are
respected, to stand up and get involved.
Cherry who over the years has been championing
women’s causes, fighting against the abuse
of women, and pressing for respect to be given
to women from their male counterparts and from
every conceivable institution in the country
and using every available platform to spread
her message, took her fight to another level
Sunday – the political platform.
Should anyone have been surprised? Or was it
a situation where any right thinking Saint Lucian
should have known that her next move would have
been a political one knowing the kind of message
spread by her and the nature of her work?
Fighting the cause of the weak, the less fortunate,
the uneducated and the unskilled, the disadvantaged
both in the areas of mental strength and physical
disability in this country can only be successful
for some people or so they think, if they could
operate from a political pedestal.
While this may or may not be true, and in Saint
Lucia it certainly looks like this is so, Cherry’s
appearance on a Labour Party’s platform
Sunday in Babonneau decisively ends speculation
as to which political platform she would use
to belt out her message of respect, equality
and understanding of women and women’s
issues.
She may have been decked out in the colour red
Sunday however it was the same vibrant Cherry
Saint Lucia had come to know, not one to be
so agreeable to the extent that she will not
speak out against party even though she is now
embedded as it so seems.
“Today we live in a global village where
small islands like ours are expected to compete
in a skewed system of reciprocity which places
us at a distinct disadvantage. We have signed
onto various trade agreements which eventually
pose grave challenges to our local businesses;
we have serious issues related to crime and
violence against women; we are yet to hear anything
serious about the labour code which is so urgently
needed. I can go on and on, but sisters, I know
you know, what we are facing in this country.
The truth is that we should be way ahead, in
our plans to cope in this global village, but
instead we, collectively as a nation find ourselves
in a kind of reality, where everything is either
standing still, or moving backwards. How can
we, as women of conscience sit quietly while
we are in this state? I say no, we need to stand
up and demand better standards in public life.
One thing is certain, we cannot get better standards
by being silent and we certainly will not achieve
equal rights and equal opportunity if we do
not take a stand and get involved,” Cherry
said.
“Today as we speak, there are so many
women who toil daily as farmers, rural women
producers, hotel clerks, nurses, maids in hotels
and in homes, store clerks, among others, so
that they can provide for their families, but
the struggle for equal rights and opportunity
must inspire us all, as women, to stand up on
principle against any man (no matter what his
political status, in Labour or otherwise), who
beats up a woman, who maims a woman, or who
is violent in any form whatsoever. We must stand
for standards at the highest level, so that
the rest of society can be guided by a paradigm
of equal rights and justice for all,”
Cherry said.
Cherry called on women “to understand
that there is no formula for how women should
lead their lives. We live in a plural society
and we must be prepared to embrace diversity
and respect the fundamental human rights of
every St. Lucian woman and man. That is why
we must respect the choices that each woman
makes for herself and her family as every woman
deserves the chance to make her own choices
and realize her God-given potential”.
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“We also must recognize
that women will never gain full dignity until
their human rights are respected and protected,
so one of our goals as women, is to strengthen
families and communities by empowering women
to take greater control over their own destinies.
This of course can never be fully achieved
unless our government accepts its responsibility
to protect and promote internationally recognized
human rights. We, the women and men of St.
Lucia deserve no less. And no one should be
forced to remain silent for fear of political
persecution, victimization or discrimination.
Unfortunately political persecution, victimization
and discrimination is the norm, but let this
not scare you from standing up on principle,”
Cherry said.
Cherry was at the time addressing The Saint
Lucia Labour Party Women’s Organization’s
women’s rally to mark International
Women’s Day. The rally was held on the
grounds of the Babonneau Primary School.
In addressing the women who attended the rally
Cherry called on them to be inspired and motivated
when they see the abuse of power. This, she
said, should motivate them “to bring
the St. Lucia Labour Party back to power and
we must in doing so, remind all the men and
women of the party, that women of Labour will
not stand for abuse and violence”.
“When you really look at it, elections
are not far away, so women need to begin doing
some crucial mobilizing at all levels in the
community. And while you are at it, please,
remember to keep pushing women forward. Women
must break the silence on issues pertaining
to violence and as women we should not be
afraid when we are criticized. I know, and
understand very well, how one’s character
can be assassinated while struggling for justice,
but I say to you, Labour women, don’t
be afraid, and please, do not wait for when
the party is in power to speak. The time to
speak is now, as we see so much abuse, so
much violence, and so much cover-up when women
are beaten to a pulp by men who have political
power. If you stand on principle, I tell you,
you will overcome the criticism and in the
end, people will remember that you stood on
principal, no matter what dirt is thrown your
way. Remember always, that you and you alone
can determine your own destiny, so you and
you alone can determine in what direction
it goes. So please let go of the fear of discrimination
and stand up for what you know is right.
Our voices as women from this rally here today
should be heard loud and clear: We want equal
rights and equal opportunities, because this
is the best guarantee for overall progress.
We must be prepared to say loudly, that It
is a violation of human rights when women
and girls continue to suffer domestic violence,
incest and abuse; It is a further violation
of rights when the Government drags its feet
for so long to open the urgently needed home
for kids, when the facility was purchased
before the elections of 2006; It is a violation
of human rights when women are beaten to a
pulp and crippled and then men with political
power circulate their records for all to see,
and work behind the scenes to deny basic justice;
It is a violation of human rights when individual
women are raped, shot and killed in their
own communities; It is a serious violation
of human rights when women who speak out are
publicly demonized,” Cherry said, adding
that if there is one message that should echo
from this international women’s day
rally, it is that human rights are women’s
rights and as women, they need equal rights
and opportunities so that they all as a country
can prosper.
“Let us never forget that among those
rights is the right to speak freely - and
the right to be heard,” she said.
Discuss
Story
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