The wife of Prime Minister on Tuesday advised all women to attain financial independence.
She was speaking at the Women of Influence symposium hosted by the Bankers’ Association of T&T (BATT) and AFETT held at the Hyatt Regency hotel yesterday.
“I make my own money. I have my own bank account and I certainly don’t have to ask the Prime Minister for money,” she said.
She described herself as an independent woman who still works and who, prior to 2015, had managed the family’s household.
The PM’s wife said several people had asked her if she continued to work after her husband became the prime minister.
“And I answered..it is a resounding ‘yes’. No mistake about it. I consider myself an empowered and independent woman,” she said.
The PM’s wife added that while many women have a voice, there are many women in other countries who are voiceless.
“They are not heard. Sometimes they aren’t even seen.”
“And despite the strides we have made in T&T towards gender equality there are still too many women who have no idea what equality is about. These women don’t know about equal pay for equal work. These women have to deal with sexual harassment, rape, domestic violence. We cannot ignore the unacceptable and senseless acts of violence committed by some of our men and boys against our women and girls,” she said.
This, the PM’s wife urged, must not be tolerated, adding that citizens cannot remain indifferent to these issues.
She said women must be allowed to live their lives free from discrimination and live free from physical and mental abuse.
