PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands; Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 - The tenth lecture in the William G. Demas Memorial Lecture Series took place last evening at the Beaches Resort and Spa in Providenciales during the 39th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
The CDB’s annual meeting is being held this week in the Turks and Caicos Islands from 27th to 28th May 27th. However, prior to that – there were a number of other activities including a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bank on Monday May 25, where CDB and TCIG signed a grant agreement for US$559,113 to be used for sub-projects under the sixth cycle of the Bank’s Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) programme; the William G. Demas Memorial Lecture last evening; CDB’s opening ceremony earlier today, quickly followed by Vybzing Youth Forum, Brayton Hall at the British West Indies Collegiate.
In an effort to commemorate the contribution of William Gilbert Demas to Caribbean integration, and to perpetuate his memory, CDB has instituted the lecture series. The main objectives of the series are to encourage a sharing of ideas on key socio-economic issues and to stimulate new vision for the Caribbean region.
The William G. Demas Memorial Lecture Series is intended, not only to pay tribute to Mr. Demas and his contribution to Caribbean development, but also to “keeping the debate alive” and thus advancing the social, economic and cultural development of Caribbean civilization.
The tenth lecture entitled: “What now for the Caribbean People and their Leaders? Reflections on the Current Social and Economic Crisis from a Gender Perspective”, was presented by Professor Rhoda Reddock, Head of the Center for Gender and Development Studies and Deputy Campus Principal at University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago. Professor Reddock, in view of her own scholarship and academic interests, was eminently qualified to accomplish the objectives and task set before her in her presentation.
Therein, she reflected on the historic conjuncture at which the region is currently situated and contemplated the possibilities and opportunities that are now open to us. In so doing, she looked backwards in order to look forward, and drew on her own experience of gender analysis in doing so.
“Gender is now a word that is bandied about and liberally used by many in various contexts,” said the Professor, “It is one of these things that everyone feels that they instinctively understand because‚ we all have a gender. As a result, few seek to properly examine, read and reflect upon what it actually means.”
Professor Reddock stated that gender issues are inextricably linked to issues of sustainable development and good governance. Sustained poverty reduction and inclusive development is un-achievable if gender perspectives are not incorporated as critical elements of policy.
She went on to add that: “The more we study this phenomenon, the more we are fascinated and realize how much more there is still to know.” However, she stated that many in our region have resisted the urge to learn more. “This is partly out of fear; because gender will certainly change your way of thinking and of understanding yourself; the society and the world; your relationships; body and sexuality. But also partly because gendered knowledge is transformational and necessitates that we re-think much of what we have accepted in the past and much of what we are currently doing.”
Having been a pioneer in gender studies in the Caribbean, Professor Reddock was one of the first regional researchers to document the inter-connectedness between colonial governance processes, women exploitation and capital accumulation. In short, the significance of gender issues in the development process.
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