~ Pays tribute to women taxi drivers ~
PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams called on all St. Maarten women to "connect with the girls" in their lives and those around them, in her International Women's Day message on Wednesday.
She also commended women taxi drivers for being ambassadors for the country and for competing head-to-head with the men to earn a living.
"Girl children look at us for direction. The truth of the matter is, influences, good and bad, reach them from every corner of the globe through the vast array of modern technological means."
St. Maarten joins other countries around the world to mark Women's Day, themed "Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures" today, Thursday. The tagline for this day is "If every International Women's Day event held in 2012 includes girls in some way, then thousands of minds will be inspired globally."
Wescot-Williams urged women in the community to provide girls with a foundation that would make them "confident and self-assured women of tomorrow."
She didn't exclude men in her call. "You too can inspire the futures of the younger generations through your actions and connectivity and being role models for the young men who look at you for guidance and mentoring."
The overarching goal this year is about passing on the baton to future generations and equipping the younger generations of women with the skills and especially the mindset to want to leave their own mark behind.
Women make up some 50 per cent of the St. Maarten population and their contribution can be found in every sector of society. Women as mothers, teachers and caregivers of children have that invaluable task of moulding entire future generations, she added.
"It is with this in mind that as a society we must pay close attention to women who fulfil those roles. If they are ill-equipped, it cannot be expected that they will discharge their duties in a meaningful way."
Mothers who are faced with dire social circumstances will seek any way out and children quickly sense that despondency. Girl children in those circumstances are vulnerable and easily taken advantage of, the prime minister said.
"Teenage motherhood is often a result of unguided young girls seeking a way out. This way out can be associating with the wrong crowd or easily falling for false promises by boys and men. And the cycle continues, unless we decide to break through it."
In breaking through it, we need to utilise the strengths of the mothers and role models amongst us to "connect our girls."
Wescot-Williams said, "Make no mistake, these role models can also be young girls themselves, as our community has many examples of young women who are focused on making something worthwhile of their lives."
Women's work and contribution to the nation's development are sometimes "taken for granted." In most sectors, these women work side-by-side with their male counterparts. "There is no special treatment because they are women, and I guess the women would want it no other way."
A group of women that comes to mind are taxi drivers. "To be competitive, they must compete with their colleagues and be out there in rain or sunshine. Not only is that their livelihood, but they are also called to be ambassadors and guides for our visitors. This many do also as mothers and wives."
Wescot-Williams thanked the women taxi drivers for their daily contribution to the most important pillar of the economy, tourism. She wished them strength to carry out their daily task of providing the island's visitors with "a wonderful first impression; one that is welcoming, warm, caring and informative – character traits typical of our female taxi-drivers, character traits of a group of St. Maarten women who are doing us proud."
The United Nations (UN) began observing March 8 as International Women's Day in 1975 during International Women's Year. In December 1977 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace to be observed by member states in accordance with their historical and national traditions.
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