-CEO says a gender-balanced Guyana is ‘better for all of us’

CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), James Foster, has embraced International Women’s Day by noting: “A gender-balanced Guyana is a better Guyana not just for women but for all of us.”

The CEO (ag) made the comments at a ceremony to mark International Women’s Day at the ‘I Love Guyana Monument’ in Kingston, Georgetown, organised by GBTI, Impressions and the High Commission of Canada to Guyana.

Foster emphasised former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s call: “Women themselves have the right to live in dignity, in freedom from want and freedom from fear. On this International Women’s Day, let us rededicate ourselves to making that a reality.”
He also quoted UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ saying, “Only through the equal participation of women can we benefit from the intelligence, experience and insights of all of humanity.”

The letters of Guyana were replaced by an International Women’s Day backdrop to allow persons to sign their pledges in support of the 2021 IWD Campaign #ChooseToChallenge. Impressions Marketing Manager, Debbie Persaud, said that while women leaders fought assiduously to pave the way for better lives for women, there remains many women in Guyana and around the world who have little or no rights and who face extreme difficulties in their every day lives.

International Women’s Day can be seen as “bitter-sweet” she said, referencing what remains dominant horrific stories in our media of women being abused, some killed, decimating families and traumatising children.

“The fact that this continues in this modern world, speaks to the fact that there is still much to be done to ensure that our women, who are our mothers, our wives, our daughters, our sisters, are protected and no longer taken for granted. Indeed, we can do better; we must do better, for it’s our collective responsibility to show love and respect and to ensure the safety of our women. It is our collective responsibility to ensure our women are not seen as property,” she emphasised.

Jake Thomas, Senior Trade Commissioner, High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana and Suriname, acknowledged that much progress has been made over the years, but he agreed that there is much more to be done. He emphasised his government’s lead role on the world stage in promoting empowerment and the full participation of women and girls in all aspects of society.

“Challenges remain and much work needs to be done especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, we are grappling with women’s issues such as protection from domestic and gender-based violence, discrimination, lack of career training, small business support, and affordable child-care. We are well aware that there is a long way to go to achieve gender parity,” he said.

He added, “We remain steadfast in our defence of their rights, both in Canada and abroad. Overwhelming evidence shows that investing in gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls act as a force multiplier on both development and commercial objectives.

“For instance, eliminating gender-based legal and social barriers results in women having increased access to capital, more opportunities to start businesses, abilities to create or secure decent jobs and then downstream investing in their families and their communities. It has also been proven that when women are equal players in the work force, economies grow. It is simple – closing gender gaps in the workforce is good for business– and GBTI clearly recognises this.”

He lauded the efforts of GBTI in recognising women through Monday’s activity and as a pillar in the business community in Guyana, which is also indicative of the bank’s commitment to women’s empowerment and gender equality. The sign will remain in place to the end of March to encourage members of the public to also make their pledges.