–says Pakuri’s first female toshao

SENIOR Mistress of the Pakuri Primary School, Beverly Clenkian was elected the mission’s first female Toshao recently.
In a race which saw her getting a landslide 122 votes, the mother of two boys and one girl was elected as the new Toshao.

According to a press statement from the regional administration of Region Four, the results read: Neil Henry 108, Maurena Shuman 90, Foster Simon 44, Paul Andrews 34, Luke Simon 64, Denise Periera 9 and Julian Kactow 22 votes.
At the first official sitting of the council, Anderson Clenkian (no relation to the Toshao) was elected as the Deputy.

Beverly said that she was approached and urged by fellow villagers to get involved and assist with ridding the village of its enormous and significant challenges.
“I have already decided that I will put my final year at the University of Guyana on hold so that I can effectively serve the people. They elected me and I am prepared to serve them faithfully, honestly and with a sense of purpose,” she said.

Beverly said she was privileged to have served three previous Toshaos as a councillor prior to being elected.
“My experience would have been enhanced and moulded by three previous Toshaos. I didn’t serve under the last outgoing Toshao as I was in the USA at the time of the last election three years ago.

“In the last council, there were a number of complains and concerns being raised as many of the residents felt that only the family of the Toshao was being looked after and it was because of this feeling that caused them to appeal to me to come forward and run, and I told them that if this is how all of them feel then I will contest,” an evidently pleased Toshao said.

Toshao Clenkian declared that her primary focus is to create more opportunities for the youth within her mission. She also intends to open the mission to tourism.
“I am going to ensure that the residents here can be able to showcase their handy craft more, thus generating tourism related interest in what they are doing while at the same time I am going to create opportunities for the youth through training and other exposure,” she promised.

Regional Chairperson of Region Four, Genevieve Allen, in congratulating the new Toshao, said this augurs well for the region, noting that it helps in setting the platform for more women to take up leadership roles.

She said yet another woman has taken up a task that was dominated mostly by males.
“This is certainly an indication that our women are taking up leadership roles and I would like to urge other women to emulate these achievements being made by Toshao Clenkian and others. Today we have a female REO, a female REDO and now a female Toshao which shows that more women are demonstrating that they can lead,” Allen said.

LGE
She urged more women to take an example and contest the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE).
“I remain confident that our women can lead and lead responsibly and effectively. So let the election of the first female Toshao be a motivating factor for you women out there that you can do if you so choose to. Women are on a rise and we here in Region Four are prepared to continue paving the way for more women to assume leadership roles and responsibilities and I am reiterating that I would like to see more women getting involved,” she urged.