October 2001 and then as a backbencher until July 2003. In the general election of 5
October 1993, Ms Maurine D. Renee Webb, JP, was elected as the Member for Hamilton East. She represented this onstituency until July 2003, when the change to single seat constituencies saw her elected to represent St. George’s South until her retirement in 2007. She served in the House of Assembly as the PLP Government’s first Minister of Telecommunications & E- Commerce, then as the Minister of Tourism, Telecommunications & E- Commerce until her retirement. In 1993 Hon. D. Neletha Butterfield was appointed to the Senate by the opposition PLP and in October 1995 Mrs Noela M. Haycock was appointed to the Senate by the UBP Government where she served until October 1997.
A by-election in October 1996 (prompted by the death of then opposition leader Mr L. Frederick Wade) resulted in the election of Hon. Paula A. Cox, JP, MP, to
represent Devonshire North. With the change in 2003 to single seat constituencies, she currently represents Devonshire West. Serving as Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance and Development, Ms. Cox has also served as the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs and as Minister of Education.
In November 1996, Mrs V. Jeanette Cannonier was appointed an independent Member of the Senate where she served in the Senate until 2003. In May 1997, Mrs Margaret I.
Young, JP, was elected to represent Paget East and served in the House of Assembly until July 2003. Also in 1997, Mrs Angelita Fox was appointed to the Senate where she served as the Government Senate
spokesperson for education and transport until 1998. There was an increase in the representation of women at the 1998 general election in the House of Assembly, with the election of Mrs Madeline I. Joell, as the Member for Paget West and
Ms Butterfield, JP, MP, as the representative for Pembroke West Central. Mrs Joell served until 14 February 1999. Appointed to the Cabinet in 2003, Ms Butterfield has served as Minister of the Environment; Minister of Education; and Minister of Telecommunications and the Environment.
Appointed to the Senate in
1998 by the opposition UBP, Hon. Patricia J. Gordon-Pamplin, JP, MP served until October 1999 when she won a by-election in Paget West. She previously served as Shadow Minister of Finance and currently serves as Shadow Minister of Works & Engineering. Appointed to the Senate in
1998 by the PLP Government, Hon. Patrice K. Minors, JP, MP, was elected in July 2003 to represent Smith’s North. Appointed to the Cabinet, she served as the Minister of Health and Family Services and then as the Junior Minister of Health.
Criminal Defence lawyer, Ms
Victoria Pearman, JP, was appointed as a Government
The Parliamentarian | 2009: Issue One - Bermuda | 15
A celebration to commemorate 60 years of women in politics in Bermuda.
Change happens one step at a time...we must encourage women’s participation as candidates for elected office.