-Minister Rodrigues tells how education, family and leadership shaped her success

IN a testament to the power of education and familial support, Susan Rodrigues, Guyana’s youngest Cabinet member and Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, stands as a beacon of inspiration for many.

Born and raised in Middle Road La Penitence, Rodrigues attributes her success to the foundational values instilled by her parents, Donna and Valantine Rodrigues.

Rodrigues proudly reminisces about her upbringing, emphasising the significance of her humble beginnings. “Like many Guyanese, I also came from very humble beginnings,” she states, “but my father and mother laid the groundwork for me to have a very sound education and to go on to be the person that I am today.”

“My father and mother, who are both entrepreneurs, I believe, laid the groundwork for me to have a very sound education and to go on to be the person that I am today. I believe that I am very grounded in family life, especially with my children, so much so that it comes across as a mother-lion personality,” the minister said.

Guided by the entrepreneurial spirit of her parents, Rodrigues highlights the importance of family in shaping her character. She describes her family as her greatest asset in life, acknowledging the sacrifices they made to nurture her development. “My greatest asset in life is my family,” she affirms, “knowing that it was because of their foundation and sacrifices that allowed me to become who I am today.”

As a mother of two and the third of four siblings, Rodrigues exudes a maternal instinct, fiercely protective of her loved ones amidst the challenges of public life. “When it comes to my loved ones,” she asserts, “I do my part to protect them from public scrutiny as much as I can.”

“I have two beautiful children, a boy and a girl, and they are proud of me and what I am doing, but I am also conscious of the fact that when you’re in politics, you get a lot of public criticism, and while that is understandable because not everyone will like you, I also know that I signed up for this; I have a thick skin, but when it comes to my loved ones, they did not ask for this, so I do my part to protect them from that as much as I can. I also take pride in knowing that I am being a strong mother for them,” she said.

Recognising the pivotal role of women in society, Rodrigues offers advice to her fellow women, urging them to embrace their strength and intuition. “Recognise your value,” she advises, “speak up for what’s right, and be the best version of yourself.”

SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Understanding that she is impacting and influencing the lives of women across Guyana and, by extension, the world, Minister Rodrigues gave special recognition to her mother for playing an integral role in showing her what a strong woman and mother look like while juggling marriage, family life, and work.

Minister Rodrigues related, “I am grateful to my mother; she is a fantastic example of a strong woman for me as a mother and as a woman. She taught me about the true value of independence, to always believe and rely on myself and to know that through hard work, I can accomplish anything that I put my mind to.”

She continued: “Hard work is one of the values that I grew up learning, not only from my mom, who ran the family business but also from my father, who was a salvager (a diver). His work was rewarding financially for us, but it was a very difficult and dangerous profession, and my mom was there, supporting him as well as taking care of the children.”

ADVICE TO WOMEN
Minister Rodrigues has had the privilege of extensively exploring various regions of Guyana and making a significant difference in the lives of its citizens, particularly women. Acknowledging the often, greater challenges faced by women in their daily lives, the young mother of two emphasised their inherent strength and the power of their remarkable gift, “intuition”.

According to her, “we are in the month of March, a month that we get the opportunity to celebrate women. It doesn’t matter if you are a minister or a helper; recognise your value, speak up for what’s right, do not be afraid to be seen or heard, and be the best version of yourself.”

As a young politician, she endeavours to serve as a source of inspiration for women and young girls through her actions, and you too can serve as that inspiration for someone. “We need to stop bringing each other down, and instead lift each other up. This is very much needed for us to have a better life, and a better society. Live your life in such a way that when you walk into a room, you command respect just by your presence.”

POLITICS
Minister Rodrigues’ decision to enter the political realm was motivated by the absence of effective leadership during the previous administration from 2015 to 2020. Nonetheless, she was driven by her desire to positively impact the lives of Guyanese citizens, particularly young individuals like herself. However, the prospect of serving as a minister within a ministry was never something she had anticipated.

“I am new to politics; there is no history of any politics in my family, so I was the first to take this leap, and I did it at a time when I felt that our country really needed strong leadership and needed young people to be involved. This was while the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) was in opposition and the previous administration (APNU/AFC) was in power. When you are in the private sector, as I was at the time, I recognised that the state of the economy was not where it should have been, and we were all being affected by the direction in which the country was going, so I decided that I would join the PPP/C. The now Vice President and the General Secretary of our party, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, presented a credible plan for the future of Guyana and Guyanese and the direction that the country should go in, and I threw my support behind him, the party, and the candidate, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali,” the minister explained.

Minister Rodrigues expressed her belief in the PPP/C’s vision, experience, and motivation to effectively serve the people. She considers her decision to align with them as one of the most significant in her professional career and personal life.

SPECIAL ADMIRATION
With a smile on her face, Minister Rodrigues expressed her inspiration derived from President Dr. Irfaan Ali and her colleagues, particularly Gail Teixeria and Priya Manickchand, for their assertiveness and work in their fields.

Nevertheless, Minister Rodrigues expressed her profound admiration for the conduct of Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, with whom she closely collaborated for five years during their time out of office, including the notably arduous five months following the 2020 election.

Minister Rodrigues recalled, “I remembered campaigning with our party members while we were out of government. I spent a lot of time during those years campaigning with Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, did a lot of work in the interior region, and met a lot of people along the way through his guidance. However, during the most difficult and challenging five months, the people didn’t know where to go or what to do, and some resorted to violence.”

“I observed our general secretary during that time, and his demeanour never changed; his head was never bowed, his shoulders never sunk, and he kept everyone in a calm and good mood. Every day he uplifted us, and he didn’t just do that for the PPP/C alone; he did it for Guyana and Guyanese, and the entire country looked towards him for leadership, and he did exceptionally well under that pressure. I cannot imagine what it was like for him to carry an entire country on your shoulders without knowing how it would play out. So, I did not just admire him during his most challenging time, but I learned a lot from him, just by the way he handled the situation, every day,” she recalled.

WOULD YOU EVER RUN FOR PRESIDENT?
Minister Rodrigues clarified that her aspiration to become the President of Guyana has never been her primary goal, however, she acknowledges the unpredictability of life.

She explained, “I have never thought that I want to become the President of our country, and looking at the immense challenges that President Ali has and the demands on his schedule on a daily basis, I wonder how he gets that done. I can’t imagine being in his position right now. The sacrifices that he makes for the betterment of Guyanese are truly noble. I look at the challenges, the struggles, the time away for loved ones and family events, and it is hard and sad to see sometimes that the same people that you are fighting for to give a better life do not even appreciate it, but like I said in life, you never say never.”

Minister Rodrigues concluded by expressing, “The journey to reach this point has been truly remarkable.”

“Yes, we were working to have a better life for all Guyanese, but no promises were made to us. We genuinely wanted to do this for our country and our people. I certainly didn’t think that I would be asked to play such a significant role in the PPP/C, and my primary objective was to make sure that the results were correctly announced. However, a few days later, I was asked to the president’s office for a meeting, and fortunately for me, President Ali and the General Secretary, Dr. Jagdeo, gave me a portfolio that enables me to improve people’s lives through my ministry, the Ministry of Housing and Water. I was pleasantly surprised and honoured to have been considered.”

“It is my hope that our Guyanese people can take a step back and look at how far we have come, remember our days of struggle, and understand that nothing happens overnight. Guyana has never looked better, and as a woman, I am proud to be a part of President Ali’s transformational change for a better Guyana, a Guyana of inclusivity, a ‘One Guyana’,” she added.

During her formative years, Minister Susan Rodrigues received her education at Ketley Primary School in Charles Town, Georgetown, Marian Academy on Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown, and the Bishops’ High School, where she successfully completed her 6th form. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Guyana and a master’s in business administration (MBA) from the University of Bedfordshire. She is actively involved in the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations and brings extensive experience from the private-sector in construction and real estate.