Record number of women elected in Local Govt Poll

More than half — 53 percent — of the women who offered themselves as candidates in Monday’s 2003 Local Government election were successful in their bids to represent their communities, accor-ding to a release issued by the Network of NGOs.

A total of 38 women were elected in the July 14 poll, marking a 31 percent increase from the last election in 1999. In that year, 29 women were elected and even fewer entered office in 1996 when the figure was just 19. The organisation said it expects the total number of women in Local Government to increase when Aldermen are appointed to office later this week. This phenomenon, said the release, should push the total number of women serving past 42, the total figure in the 1999-2002 term. The best showings for women in the Local Government elections of Monday were in San Fernando, where seven out of nine women were elected; Tuna-puna, where seven out of 13 were successful, and in Diego Martin, where five out of nine were elected. However, said the Network, there still remain two Councils with no women represented; the UNC-controlled Penal/   Debe, and Siparia. The organisation congratulated all the women who offered themselves for office this year and wished them continued success in the coming term.