-in observance of Int’l Women’s Day

FIRST Lady Mrs. Deolatchmee Ramotar and members of the First Lady’s Foundation visited with and delivered goodies to close to 100 senior citizens in Region 3 (West Demerara-Essequibo Islands) who would have made significant contributions to Guyana’s development over the years.

The gesture was in keeping with observances to mark International Women’s Day, celebrated the world over last Saturday.
The presentations were done at Patentia Secondary School, on the West Bank Demerara, and at Zeelugt Primary, on the West Coast Demerara. Visits were made to the homes of five senior citizens who were unable to travel to the venues at reference.
International Women’s Day, which was launched in 1911, is celebrated each year on March 8. It is a day when organisations, religious communities, and governments, in their quest for peace, democracy and equality, mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

In brief remarks, First Lady Ramotar said the government will continue to honour women who would have contributed to the country’s economy, and that each year, the Foundation has been moving to different locations to ensure that every community benefits from their distribution programme.
She noted that International Women’s Day is a day set aside to acknowledge the many contributions women would have made to society and should never be forgetten.
“They have contributed in many ways to the development of Guyana, whether it is helping their families or their communities, and so we think they deserve the acknowledgement,” the First Lady said.
Here in Guyana as well as the Caribbean, the rationale behind the observance of International Women’s Day differs from that of sister countries in the Western World, in that the former developed an early tradition of struggle and activism, born out of their experience in shaking off the shackles of slavery and indentureship, followed by the exploitation of colonialism.

(GINA)