Chairman of the Caribbean civil society regional grouping, the CPDC, (Caribbean Policy Development Centre) Renwick Rose has congratulated a long-standing community activist and advocate of women’s rights in Trinidad and Tobago.{{more}}

Hazel Brown, a pillar of the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Network, a member of the CPDC, was among those honoured to mark the 49th anniversary of Trinidad and Tobago’s independence. She has been awarded the Medal for the Development of Women (Gold) for her outstanding contribution in the field of women’s work.

In a congratulatory e-mail on Wednesday, August 31, Rose congratulated Brown on behalf of the entire membership of the CPDC, which encompasses civil society organisations from Suriname in the south all the way to Belize in the north for what he called a “richly deserved award”. The CPDC Chair went on to state: “It is rewarding to know that your hard work, selfless sacrifice and commitment to the cause of women in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean is at least being recognized.”

Hazel Brown has been a prominent social and community activist in her native country for many years now, and has played an active role in the building of regional civil society links, networks and partnerships. She played important roles in organizing dialogue between Governments and civil society organisations for both the Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth heads of Government Meeting held in Port of Spain in 2009.

She was one of a number of women to get Independence honours in Trinidad and Tobago. Denyse Plummer, of calypso fame, who has won every major calypso honour, except for the Road March, got one of that nation’s top awards, the Hummingbird Medal (Gold), for her contribution in the field of culture. She said that she was humbled by the announcement which came after “26 years of struggle and fighting”, and paid tribute to those who have contributed most to her work, chief among them legendary pannist Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, the late Lord Kitchener, Super Blue and Black Stalin.