Director of the National Task Force on Crime Prevention, Cheryl Willoughby, during her remarks. (C. Pitt/BGIS)
A Senior Government official is calling on young women to make good use of the opportunities set by their predecessors.
This call has come from Director of the National Task Force on Crime Prevention, Cheryl Willoughby. She was speaking yesterday at the ???Girl Talk Workshop’, to observe International Women’s Day, under the theme ???Equal access to Education, Training and Science and Technology’, at the Savannah Hotel.
The Director indicated that many young women are not making good use of the educational opportunities which are presented to them, and instead choose to become involved in illegal activities.
"Our statistics at the Task Force are showing that our young women are now involved in crime, such as the sale and use of illegal drugs, theft, assault; whatever you can think of – our young women are now involved in. Right now at the Government Industrial School, we have a situation where a school built for nine girls now has in excess of 45 girls", she disclosed.
Ms. Willoughby encouraged young women to strive for excellence, adding that no career was off limits.
"Women were normally domestic. They would stay home and take care of the children, but now we have women who are working in every area.?? We have women who are plumbers, electricians, tilers; I saw a woman driving a bobcat.?? Women now are involved in anything, and these things are achieved through hard work. Our predecessors have raised some very successful children, they have built businesses, and they have maintained good homes," she added.
The Director told the students to share what they had learnt with their classmates when they returned to school.
"We want you to take it back to your schools. When you see them [students] doing something wrong, tell them no! ??Women have worked too hard for you to behave so. We expect better from you," Ms. Willoughby affirmed.??
Twenty girls aged 13 to 16 from various secondary schools across the island, attended the 4th annual workshop. Presenters addressed a range of topics including Peer Pressure, Good Money Sense, Etiquette and Social Graces, Charting a Career Path, Your Body and You and Sexual Health, and Self Esteem.