Member to the Senate in 2001, where she served as the Junior Minister for Education Transport and Works & Engineering until 2002.
Into the noughties The 2003 general election welcomed two new female Members elected to the House. Representing Pembroke South West, Mrs Louise A. Jackson, JP, MP, (currently the Shadow Minister for Health and Seniors); and representing the constituency of St. David’s, Mrs Suzanne Roberts- Holshouser, JP. Mrs. Holshouser’s term ended at the general election in December 2007. Appointed as an independent Member to the Senate in 2003, Ms Carol A. M. Bassett, JP, was elected the first woman President of that body in 2008.
Appointed to the Senate as an opposition Member in 2005, Ms Gina Spence Farmer, JP, served as the Shadow Minister for Housing and Women’s Issues and also as opposition Senate spokesperson for Community and Cultural Affairs, Social Rehabilitation and Family Development, Seniors and Youth, Sport and Recreation.
Ms Davida M. Morris became the youngest person ever appointed to the Senate in October 1996, where she served as Junior Minister for Health,Social Rehabilitation and Community/Cultural Affairs until November 2007. Ms Lovitta F. Foggo, MP, was elected to represent St. David’s on 18 December 2007 and was the first woman elected to serve as Whip of any Bermuda political party. She represents the constituency of St. David’s. Appointed to the Senate as a Government Member in February 2008, Hon. Kim Wilson, JP, serves as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice. In addition, she is the Government Senate spokesperson for finance and economic development.
Opposition Member Mrs Jean
Atherden was appointed to the Senate in 2008 and independent Member Mrs Joan Dillas Wright was appointed that same year after the retirement of Senate President, Senator Alf Oughton. At the parliamentary level, Bermuda appointed its first female Clerk, Mrs Muriel Roach (a former assistant clerk), in July 2002. Following her retirement in October 2002, Mrs Shernette Wolffe became our second female Clerk, and Mrs Carolyn Todd currently serves as one of the two assistant clerks. Bermuda has two municipalities: the Town of St. George and the City of Hamilton
16 | The Parliamentarian | 2009: Issue One - Bermuda
are both elected bodies. St. George’s has the distinction of having had two female mayors: the former mayor, the Worshipful Lois Perinchief and current mayor, the Worshipful Mariea Caisey.
The present day Regrettably, in this 400th year of Bermuda’s settlement there are only seven women in the House of Assembly: two opposition Members and five Government Members (one of whom is the Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance; one who is the Whip, and one who is the Deputy Speaker). In the Senate, there are three women: one
Above: Traditional architecture in the downtown area of the capital.
Government Senator (the Attorney General) and two independent Senators (one of whom serves as the President). Change happens one step at a time, so while women in Bermuda have overcome obstacles posed by class, race and gender and made giant inroads in the political process, we must continue to encourage women’s participation, particularly as candidates for elected office.