Profile of a Caribbean Woman

Profile: Lady Scotland

Thursday June 28, 2007

Guardian Unlimited

If Lady Scotland had heeded the advice of a lecturer at London University she might not have been where she is today.

One of 12 children born in Dominica to a family of rich Caribbean landowners, she was brought to Britain when she was three.

She studied law despite a lecturer's warning that being black and female might be too big a hurdle to overcome.

How wrong he was, now that Gordon Brown has named her attorney general, the chief legal adviser to the government - the first woman to hold the post.

After her legal studies, Lady Scotland practised family law - not a field noted for high-flyers - as a barrister.

Yet even then, her talents were noticed. She was officially nudged by the last Conservative lord chancellor, Lord Mackay, to apply for silk at the unusually early age of 35, years before she herself would have thought of applying. He was intent on making her the country's first woman high court judge.

But Tony Blair beat him to the punch by nominating her for a life peerage on a Labour party list of working peers.

Patricia Scotland became Baroness Scotland of Asthal - the Oxfordshire village where she and her barrister husband live with their two sons. In due course she became the first black woman appointed a minister in the government.

She was reckoned to have been a good Lords performer in her Foreign Office job as junior minister responsible for the Caribbean and Britain's overseas territories. During her time there, she did no harm to her image by abseiling down a crevasse while on a foreign office trip to Antarctica.

Her next job was altogether tougher. The first woman lawyer to be made a minister of state in the lord chancellor's department, she assumed responsibility for the department's bills in the upper house.

She had the daunting task of defending the government's criminal justice bill plans for judge-only trials in serious and complex fraud cases.

Some thought she was too nice for the job and wondered whether she could deal with peers highly versed on such legal matters.

But she was confident, good at her job, on top of her brief; she worked hard and held her own. In the words of one veteran lobby correspondent, although Lady Scotland had been in the Lords for only five minutes, she looked as if she had been there for generations. In 2004, Channel 4 voted her "peer of the year".

................................................................................

Source of Photograph: 100 Great Black Britons - Baroness Patricia Scotland

Parlatuvier Bay - Tobago

Tobago is indeed an ideal spot for a honeymoon. There were several "hideaway" spots and unspoilt beaches. Perfect to just relax and enjoy the moment with someone special.

Above is my favourite view of all - Parlatuvier Bay. It's located on the Caribbean Sea side of the island. Off the coast you'll find Sisters Rocks!

Don't forget to visit the amazing Bucco Reef ! Take a trip on one of the party boats and swim in the amazing "pool of youth".

Have breakfast at the House of Pancakes!

Independence Arch and Cuffy Monument

MORE RESTRICTIONS ON JAMAICANS

Costa Rica imposes visa on Jamaicans

Jamaica Gleaner

Friday June 15, 2007

Jamaicans wishing to travel to Costa Rica will need to obtain visas.
However, Jamaicans who have valid visas to enter the United States or countries within Europe are excluded, the Costa Rican Embassy said.

The embassy further advised that all persons wishing to enter Costa Rica must have a valid certificate of vaccination against yellow fever.

Photo Source: www.virtourist.com

Kaieture Falls - Guyana

I spent last weekend in Guyana. I had a wonderful experience meeting and sharing with the people there. I took about 100 photos and it is now difficult to choose just one picture that captures the essence of Guyana. I hope you like my choice. I will upload others when I find some more time.

Celebrating our People!

I'm always pleased when my people do well. I believe when we encourage each other as individuals, then we gain collectively!

So today, I say congratulations to another woman of Jamaican heritage: Diane Abbott . She is celebrating her anniversary as being the first Black Female British Member of Parliament.

.......................................
Abbott marks 20 years as first black British MP
published: Tuesday June 12, 2007
British Member of Parliament Diane Abbott
Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Born of Jamaican parents from Smithville in Clarendon, British Member of Parliament Diane Abbott, yesterday reached a milestone in political history as she celebrated her 20th anniversary since becoming the United Kingdom’s first black female MP.

“I cannot believe that it is 20 years since I was first elected,” Ms. Abbott said in a release. “The years seem to have gone by in the twinkling of an eye. One of my proudest moments was election day in 1987. I was the first black woman ever elected to Parliament.”Ms. Abbott reminisced that, throughout the campaign period, people kept telling her she would not have been victorious.

Only two black women still “When they announced the result in Hackney Town Hall it felt like a dream,” she said. “My mother was there at the count and she was ready to burst with pride. My biggest regret is that, after 20 years, there are still only two black women.”

Since that time, Ms. Abbott, who has represented the constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has become recognised as both an advocate for local issues and a staunch supporter of international campaigns.

Over the course of her political career she has spoken out against the Iraq war, stop and search powers, nuclear weapons and the Guantanamo Bay detention centres.

She has waged long-standing campaigns on black educational underachievement, gun crime, and gender and racial discrimination. She has since built a distinguished career as a parliamentarian, broadcaster and commentator.

We cannot afford to be blacklisted

As I browse the papers this morning, I observed that following the arrest of the men who allegedly were involved in a plot to blow up the JFK, that our beautiful region is now being blacklisted. The region depends on foreign investment and the stability of our economy and therefore we can not afford to be accused of being a region that breeds terrorist.

Trinidad and Guyana has a large Indian population, many of who are practicing Muslims. Does that make them terrorist? Do they have the means or the inclination? I say no! Our people are not extremist or fanatics.

As the region marches towards uniting under the CSME, we are fully aware of the various stereotypes against us individually. Many persons from the region face the ordeal of going through the stress of obtaining a visa and sometimes to be sniffed upon with dogs as we travel. Often times our people are viewed as guilty until proven innocent. Just imagine what it would be like to have the added stigma of being terrorists!

We can not afford to be blacklisted as a region. We depend on foreign investment, trade and tourism to survive.

I trust that the CARICOM Heads of Government are meeting immediately to formulate a united strategy to protect our region.

Pitch Lake - Trinidad

The Pitch Lake in Trinidad is one of the 3 natural asphalt/ tar reserves in the world. The others may be found in California and Venezuela.

It is located approximately 45 minutes south of San Fernando in an area known as La Brea, off the south western coast of Trinidad.

According to our tour guide, the area was discovered by Sir Walter Raleigh in the 1500's and he used the tar from the area to "patch" his ships.

The pitch is "mined" 2 times per day and is processed in nearby plant and then exported to make asphalt for road surfaces, batteries, etc. Although the tar is mined regularly the area naturally refills itself in a matter of hours.

The lake spew tar and water at the same time and the water is pumped from the lake on a regular basis.

Many view that bathing in the lake has therapeutic values. Our tour guide referred to it as "the fountain of youth". We could see the yellow sulphuric acid bubbling up to the surface in various spot. They believe that if you bathe and wash your hair in this water, skin aliments and dandruff problems would disappear.

The official our cost is TT$30/ US$5, so beware of unofficial tour guides who charge as much as US$25!

For additional information click:
http://www.trinidadlakeasphalt.com/the_pitch_lake_of_la_brea.html

Your Right to Vote in Jamaica

Know Your Right to Vote in Jamaica's General Election

Source: www.jamaicans.com

The next general elections are expected to take place within six months in Jamaica. However, there is much concern about the provisions being made for certain persons who are qualified to vote under the laws of Jamaica. Every Jamaican should know their rights and seek to ensure that they exercise them.

Click link above for Full Article.