PARAMARIBO, Suriname – Trinidad and Tobago will be the venue for a two-day training course for women in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) contesting or hoping to contest general elections in their countries.
The Course for Women Electoral Candidates is an initiative of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) and the School of Government from the Organization of American States (OAS).
The November 18-19 event is jointly organised by the Trinidad and Tobago government with the support of Caribbean Women in Leadership (CIWiL) and ParlAmericas. The course is sponsored by the Mission of the United States to the OAS.
The organisers said that the course is directed to women, from Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and the nine-member Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
They said that the deadline for applications for the course is September 8 and that they are planning to offer a limited number of transport and accommodation scholarships for participants on a need basis.
“For participants residing in certain districts of Trinidad, accommodation will be considered and provided, along with transportation for selected participants. For participants travelling from Tobago and the invited non-OECS OAS Member States (Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica and Suriname), both transport and accommodation will be provided,” the organisers said.
President Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi has welcomed the initiative saying “I strongly believe in the power and potential of women to make significant contributions to the development of Suriname and I encourage them to actively participate in the political process”.