Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 31/Aug 04:41

63 years of women breaking barriers

Bavina Sookdeo TT’s 63 years of independence are evident in the achievements of its women. In every field, they have turned freedom into action – breaking barriers and opening doors. For Cheryl Bowles, biochemist and founder of the Cher-Mère skincare brand, who grew up in Woodbrook, at 12 years old, the first Independence Day was “unforgettable.” As part of the Tranquillity Girls’ School dance group, Bowles performed the joropo before Princess Alice, the Queen’s representative. “For me, Independence was filled with a sense of pride, possibility and new adventure – the beginning of a journey not just for TT, but for young people ready to grow with our nation,” she said. [caption id="attachment_1175200" align="aligncenter" width="318"] Cher-Mère skincare brand founder Cheryl Bowles -[/caption] Bowles believes independence transformed opportunities for women, creating pathways once impossible. She saw it firsthand in her family. “We were also surrounded by remarkable women role models in Woodbrook,” she recalled. “Audrey Jeffers, the first woman in the legislature and founder of the Coterie of Social Workers – of which my grandmother was a member, Cleopatra Romilly, who helped shape the Ministry of Community Development; Beryl McBurnie, who gave us the Little Carib Theatre, and more.” These pioneers, she noted, demonstrated independence was not only political, but also independence of thought, career and community leadership. Bowles admitted her own journey was not without challenges. She recalled being denied a job simply because of her gender, but later breaking barriers as Nestlé’s first female chemist manager. “There were some doubts about my ability as a chemist – but results quickly silenced them,” she said. With resilience, she went on to establish Cher-Mère, navigating hurdles in financing and perception to build one of the Caribbean’s most respected skincare product lines. Bowles observed that free education opened the door for women and girls to enter fields once closed to them, creating real empowerment and opportunity. She highlighted her co-authorship of The Ladder We Ascend by the Waldron family, which chronicles aspects of the journey of women in her family before and after independence. While she acknowledged that women have made considerable progress in leadership and entrepreneurship, pointing out that TT has seen women rise to the roles of president and prime minister, she also noted that challenges remain to achieving full equity. Bowles emphasised the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) programmes in helping the next generation of girls see themselves as innovators and leaders, fuelling future growth. Her message to young women is: “Independence is about possibility – the freedom to dream and the courage to act. Value your education, trust your voice and know that every step you take shapes not only your future, but the future of our nation.” Prof Pearl Gopaul was 17 when independence was declared. She recalled the pride she felt watching the national flag raised for the first time. [caption id="attachment_1175199" align="alignnone" width="768"] Prof Pearl Gopaul -[/caption] “Back then, independence brought a range of emotions, hopes and uncertainties. For the first time TT stood on its own. I was witnessing the birth of a new national identity, new flag, new anthem and pride in my culture, people and land,” she reflected. The words of Dr Eric Williams, “The future of our nation is in our children’s school bags,” guided her journey. Gopaul became a pioneer in massage therapy and beauty therapy, co-founding the TT College of Therapeutic Massage and Beauty Culture and leading the campaign to have the profession legally recognised by Parliament in 1998. She educated over 1,200 students, wrote Massage in the Caribbean: From Traditional to Conventional, and in 2015 received a national award, the Medal for the Development of Women, for her work in health. Her challenges included convincing officials of the value of skills training and navigating gender bias. But her determination never wavered. Her message to women is that independence is more than a flag or a date on the calendar – it is the freedom to think, learn, speak and act boldly. “You are not just part of this nation’s future, you are the pulse of its present. Your strength, voice and vision are needed now,” she said. “You carry within you the legacy of those who fought for rights, dignity and justice, and now it is your time to carry that torch forward.” Former nurse and health visitor Patsy Chang, 79, was 16 and in school at Independence. “The significance of Independence wasn’t a big deal to me then, but I knew it meant that as a small nation, we were finally free of colonial power,” she recalled. [caption id="attachment_1175203" align="alignnone" width="768"] Former nurse and health visitor Patsy Chang -[/caption] Chang left nursing at 42, becoming a family-planning educator, and later founded the Menopause Society. Looking back, she felt Independence did not change opportunities for women in her profession, since nursing was already female-dominated. However, she observed growth in health visiting after 1962. “At first, there were only a few health visitors per county, but numbers soon grew, expanding community service” she explained. Visiting families in poverty was difficult – “I remember seeing children carrying water from a pond, and I cried.” She later learnt to balance empathy with action, offering water, clothes and support to struggling mothers. Her message to women and girls is: “You have control over your bodies and the freedom to choose motherhood or not – but with that freedom comes the responsibility to raise children with strong values and social skills.” She urged women to see themselves as equal heads of their families, empowered by education and careers to exercise true independence. Chang said she is most proud of her ability to continue serving others even after leaving formal nursing. “I was able to give back – through education and community work, even today by doing wound dressings or checking blood sugars for my neighbours. That is what independence means to me: still being able to contribute to the well-being of others.” Ann-Marie Parks-Kojo (calypsonian Twiggy), who has been performing for 50 years, recalled her first Independence: “I attended the California Government School, and our school, together with other schools, lined up singing our nation-building songs with a small TT flag in our hands. That was a very exciting time for us.” [caption id="attachment_1175204" align="alignnone" width="684"] Calypsonian Ann-Marie "Twiggy" Parks-Kojo -[/caption] A former Trinbago Unified Calypsonians' Organisation (TUCO) member for 27 years, she was elected a trustee. She made history as the first National Women’s Action Committee Calypso Queen in 1985, reclaimed the title in 2009, and earned national and international recognition, including a 2025 Emancipation Support Committee honour. Before singing professionally, Twiggy was captivated by the calypsoes she heard on the radio, especially those played during Independence celebrations. “These songs used to give me a sense of pride. This pride I carried with me when I sang the calypso It’s Hard to be a Lady in Trinidad, in 1979. “Celebrating 63 years has done a lot of good for women in calypso, from then to now. “Yes, I have faced challenges, but that pride I instilled in myself and my commitment to raise my children so that they can and should always be proud of their mother…I was able to conquer and keep my head high.” Twiggy said her contributions to her country will continue as long as she is able to put her words into songs, because calypsonians are the voice of the people. She sent out this message: “Let’s get back to the love and unity that we once had. Our young people today do not value their freedom. The elders have an important role to show and teach younger ones the right values so when they go out into the workplace, it should be with a sense of pride to serve and build this nation.” Yasmin Rahaman-Singh, retired principal of ASJA Girls’ College, San Fernando (2023), was born in 1963, and enjoyed the benefits of an independent nation. [caption id="attachment_1175201" align="alignnone" width="767"] Retired ASJA Girls’ College, San Fernando, principal Yasmin Rahaman-Singh -[/caption] “My parents instilled in my siblings and me the great honour and privilege of being an independent nation. I learnt the national anthem and wore the national red, white and black…(with) a profound patriotism and love for our country, that chokes me up to this day whenever I sing it.” Having been awarded the Public Service Medal of Merit (silver) in 2023, she also spoke about independence shaping opportunities for women in education. “Teaching has always had more women than men.” She explained that after Independence, education reforms and the 1960 Concordat widened access, enabling women to rise in school leadership and become catalysts for change. “A new culture of began to take root in the nation…Women now saw success defined in their abilities to competently do the job – in all fields – and this became part of the overt and hidden curriculum at the schools. “Today, women have earned their places in every sphere. Look at our leaders: our president, prime minister and opposition leader – wonderful examples of women who have crossed all boundaries, climbed the ladders of success and continue to inspire the nation.” Rahaman-Singh emphasised that women are the foundation of national growth, anchoring society by lifting morals, values and ethics in the home. She believes that by fulfilling this role, women can help elevate the nation and strengthen the pride of truly living the ideals of independence, “where every creed and race find an equal place.” For Margaret Sampson-Browne, Independence began with simple joys. As a schoolgirl in 1962, she sang patriotic songs, listened to Dr Eric Williams, and proudly received her bun and Solo. “I remember feeling happy, but not understanding the depth of my happiness,” the retired Assistant Commissioner of Police recalled. “Looking back, it was just a basic life – but one that was beginning to change with Independence.” That path led her into education and, ultimately, into policing. She attended San Fernando Government Secondary School, graduating in 1969. The following year, at just 18, she left home for to join the police. “I was a young, inexperienced southerner coming to Port of Spain for the first time,” she remembered. On August 17, 1970, she and 20 other women walked into the St James Barracks – the largest intake of women at the time, just months after the Black Power uprisings. “I didn’t join because I loved it,” she admitted. “I came from a poor family of 15: all I wanted was to earn a living. “But I grew to love it. It became part of me.” That love carried her from constable to Assistant Commissioner of Police, in a 41-year career that earned her the Hummingbird Gold Medal. But independence for women in policing was hard-won. “Early on, women investigated cases, but had to hand over files to men.” True independence came in 1987, with the dissolution of the Women Police Branch: “Where we had been walking, we started to run. Opportunities opened, and women were finally being promoted.” Sampson-Browne also fought her own battle and made history. In 1972, at 21, she became pregnant out of wedlock and was suspended. “I was thrown to the wolves,” she said, remembering the humiliation of losing her uniform while eight months pregnant. Her baby, Jason, lived just five days. Yet his short life brought change, as many women’s organisations supported and stood with Sampson-Browne. From then on, women in the police and the public service were entitled to maternity leave, regardless of their marital status. “God used me for a purpose,” she said. “Jason left a pathway for women.” Her message to women and girls is: “Never be afraid of doing the right thing. Fear is a temporary thing – starve it. “Love your job, because when you love what you do, they will eventually pay you for loving it. “You are a class act. Remember, an inheritance is what you leave for somebody; a legacy is what you leave in somebody. “Leave your legacy. Walk tall. Create your own footsteps – and pull another woman with you.”   The post 63 years of women breaking barriers appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.