Pioneer Vincentian Women: Introduction

Throughout history and in all parts of the world individual achievement is marked- especially ground breaking or pioneer accomplishments. Most of these ‘firsts’ were attributed to and indeed expected of men: the commemoration or acknowledgement of such pioneering activities by women begun much more recently. Mostly it has been the ‘first woman to...’ but sometimes it has come to light that ‘she’ was ‘the first person to...’

In many parts of the world such achievements by women are even more remarkable given the role of women was/is prescribed and that only certain traditional roles were acceptable, allowed and approved of. It is interesting to note that just this month (November 2017) it was announced that women in Saudi Arabia would be ‘allowed’ to drive.

St Vincent and the Grenadines has not yet begun the process of documenting and commemorating women who fit the criteria, but certain individuals have been acknowledged by various bodies. There are many ‘Vincentian Pioneer Women’ in a variety of fields but there are still some notable areas in which women have not yet been represented. St Vincent and the Grenadines has not had a woman as Prime Minister (or Head of State), but some Caribbean States (Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago) have, along with some rather surprising countries around the world such as India, Pakistan, Israel, Ceylon/Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Perhaps in the future the Pioneer Vincentian Woman who becomes Prime Minister can be added to this list.

National Treasures of SVG will begin the process for women of St Vincent and the Grenadines by researching and documenting ‘Pioneer Vincentian Women’. The intention is to find out about as many women who qualify as PVW and provide a brief biography/history of these women and their pioneer achievements. We have general criteria under which women can qualify for PVW status and some fields with which we will begin. See below:

Criteria:

1. The first woman to enter a field of study e.g. Medicine, Engineering
2. The first woman to enter a previously ‘male’ profession
3. The first woman to attain a top position in professional capacity
4. The first woman to head an organisation of note
5. The first woman to achieve at a time when it was unusual for women.

Study:

Medicine

Law

Engineering

Architecture

Physics

Construction

Mechanics
 

Professions:

Doctor

Lawyer

Engineer

Architect

Mechanic

Jobs/Appointments:

Governor General’s Deputy

Clerk of the House of Assembly

Elected Representative

Senator

Magistrate

Judge

Cabinet Secretary

Post Master General

Accountant General

Secondary or Primary School Head Teacher

Director of Audit

Methodist Minister/Regional Head of Methodist Church

Anglican Minister ordained in SVG

Bank Manager

Police Officer

Do you know anyone who qualifies as a PVW- past or present? We would like you to send us any names of, information about and photographs of any woman/women you think fits/fit the criteria.