Evans is new head of ULP women’s arm

The women of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) will be “extremely aggressive” in the propagation of the party’s policies and vision.{{more}}

As she takes up the mantle of the presidency of the women’s arm of the party, Nichola Evans, who was elected last Sunday, March 15th, at the 13th annual convention, told SEARCHLIGHT that the women will be working hard to prepare for the next general elections, due by March 2011.

“We will be working hard at recruiting members and support for the ULP,” said Evans who replaced long serving president Juliet George, who did not stand for re-election.

The convention was held at the Peace Memorial Hall under the theme “Women-organizing, mobilizing, energizing and networking.

Evans, who previously served as the executive secretary of the organization, told SEARCHLIGHT that even before the general elections, the women’s arm will be working with the government to encourage citizens to be part of the referendum on the new constitution.

“We want people to support the referendum even though they are not supporters of the ULP,” she said, as she highlighted the importance of the new constitution.

This determination was stirred by deputy Political leader of the ULP, Sir Louis Straker when he addressed the convention.

Sir Louis told the women that they must “campaign vigorously” in making sure that “we get rid of the last vestiges of colonialism by bringing into being a constitution through our constitutional reform and referendum.”

Evans also said that it was important to make sure that all the individual groups in the women’s arm are functioning and that concerns from disgruntled members are addressed as far as possible.

This type of passion and dedication is exactly what feature speaker Glynis Roberts of Grenada encouraged the ULP women to have.

Roberts, the Social Development, Labour and Ecclesiastical Affairs Minister in the National Democratic Congress government, told the eager women that there is a call for women to be passionate in nation building.

“We will not see a better nation unless we have passion…we need women to be passionate,” she said.

She said that women are crucial in the transmitting of important values and the fight against HIV/AIDS, poverty, crime, violence and drug abuse.

When he addressed the convention, political leader of the ULP, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves told the women that he was confident that the ULP will be returned to office in the next general elections.

He said that that the ULP government has delivered and is still delivering to the people.

He also used the opportunity to ask the women for their support in efforts within the next 18 months to have George Mc Intosh, Ebenezer Joshua, Robert Milton Cato declared as national heroes joining Chief Joseph Chatoyer. (KJ)