President of Parliament delivers Women of Great Esteem Address; Says she’s committed to being a change agent.

The event was founded by Rt. Rev. Sylveta Hamilton-Gonzales, founder of QKingdom Ministries, Inc and was organized under the theme "Women as Change Agents in the 21st Century." Arrindell was one of the recipients of the Women of Great Esteem Award two years ago.

The Macademy provides early developmental care and emotional development. It is an academic supplemental ELearing Center, designed to house students from nursery to the sixth grade.

The four honourees that were recognized at the ceremony were Brenda Boyd Bell, Dr. Linda Brady, Angeli Rasbury and Hon. Loreen Bannis Roberts.

Arrindell during her keynote address had a special word of thanks to Bishop Gonzales: "Bishop, you are a visionary, a woman of substance, a woman of great esteem and a master agent of change straddling the 20th and the 21st Centuries. It took a visionary like you to start this school of excellence, and to initiate this award in honour of Women of great esteem of this great country and from around the world. Your family and friends, many parents, your students and the community at large are deeply indebted to you. Long may the good Lord continue to bless and guide you. Long may your good work prosper and benefit the community."

The Hon. Presidents message to the graduating students was: "I say: Congratulations. The sky is the limit. Remember education is the way up and out. Work smart. Use the light gleaned here at Macadamy to penetrate the darkness you will encounter outside the walls of your school. Whenever you stumble – and you are likely to stumble from time to time - do not indulge in self-pity. Pick up yourselves and get on with the task at hand. And, if ever you have cause or reason to ask yourself: "Can I do it," remember every time, the answer is always: "Yes I can!"

During her presentation the President of Parliament pointed out to some of the issues, challenges and opportunities for women as change agents:

· "I wish to submit at the outset that during the last century, women as agents of change, made great strides in dismantling barriers, in breaking the shackles of discrimination and in liberating themselves so that they may play more meaningful roles in the development of their communities:

• They earned themselves the right to vote and quickened their bold march into politics and into parliaments.
• They refused to be kept out of the classroom where they now excel.
• They have made great inroads in the struggle for equal work and equal pay.
• They have asserted their right to own their bodies;
• They have moved into the boardrooms and have become captains of major industries; and,
• They have determined that no profession and no skills set was beyond their capabilities and their competence, even as they perfected their ability to multi-task and continued to be homemakers performing their motherly and wifely duties;"

With respect to the situation on Sint Maarten, the Hon. President said the following: "Let me begin at home as it were – in the area of politics and governance with which I am very familiar. As a recently elected member and President of the first parliament of autonomous St. Maarten, I am supremely conscious that more of our women need to become involved in politics so that we may serve as agents of change in crucial areas where it matters much.

"It continues to be an alarming reality and an indictment that here in the Americas, women still account for only about 22 to 23 per cent of the members of our national parliaments – well below the recommended minimum of 30 to 35 per cent. In St. Maarten, for example, I am one of only three women in our 15-member Parliament. We account for only 20 per cent of the members."

The President of Parliament Hon. Gracita Arrindell concluded her keynote address that she is committed to being a change agent and that all those in attendance: "I know you are committed too. Thank you – Change Agents!"