Page 25 - Hall-Musgrove Family Reunion 2025

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
THE RT. HON DAME
JANET GWENNETT BOSTWICK, CB DBE
Whereas, on the 4th June, 2021, CARICOM announced that the Rt. Hon.
Dame Janet Gwennett Bostwick, venerated Bahamian, esteemed intel-
lectual and respected altruist, will be the 13th outstanding woman from
the Caribbean Community to receive the CARICOM Triennial Award for
Women; and
of men in the rearing of children; and for change in legislation relative
to sexual offences, domestic violence and matrimonial matters; and
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett Bostwick, is an outstand-
ing counsel and attorney, a model politician and a
pioneer among women in the Bahamas; and
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett Bost-
wick is admired and respected as a champion for
the empowerment of women, not only in her na-
tive Commonwealth of the Bahamas, but also in
the region and beyond; and
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett Bostwick, in her quest for
women’s rights, between 1992-1994, led the Bahamian delegation at the
OAS Inter-American Commission of Women and served in its Executive
Committee. Since 1994, she has served on the Executive Committee of
the United Nations Commission on the Status of
Women. In 1995, she served as a Regional Vice
Chairperson of the Bureau of the United Nations
Fourth World Conference on Women in the Bei-
jing, China. At this conference, she was head of
the delegation of The Bahamas and The Baha-
mas was unanimously selected to coordinate
the Caribbean Region. In this capacity, she pre-
sided over all CIRICOM meetings; and
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett Bost-
wick has the distinction of having achieved sever-
al “First” in her career. These include: first female
Secretary General of The Bahamas Public Services
Union, first female Prosecutor; first President of
the Bar of Association; first female Chairman of
the Bar Council; first female Member of Parlia-
ment, following her election in 1982; first female
Attorney Minister of Foreign Affairs and also the
first female to act as Prime Minister of the Com-
monwealth of The Bahamas; and
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett
Bostwick in espousing the cause of women and
development, has pursued this interest with rig-
orous scholarship and so distinguished herself
that in 2001, she was presented with the Univer-
sity of the West Indies’ Vice-Chancellor’s Award
for Excellence in teaching, Administration, Re-
search and Public Service; and
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett Bost-
wick has held the portfolios of Minister of Social
Services, Housing and National Insurance, and Minister of Justice and
Immigration. Throughout her tenure as a Cabinet Minister, she has al-
ways held ministerial responsibility for women’s affairs and
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett
Bostwick broadened her advocacy to include
the administration of justice for children and young persons, the main-
tenance and resolution of issues associated with children born out of
wedlock and improved custody; and
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett Bostwick’s activism on
women’s issues is removed, having started her campaign in the mid-
1960s, and continued throughout her political career; and
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett Bostwick, is paying tribute
to the outstanding academic, political, social and philanthropic contri-
bution of this year’s awardee, we acknowledge the fact that Rt. Hon.
Dame Janet Gwennett Bostwick has been an inspiration and mentor to
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett Bostwick served as a trade
the younger generation of Bahamian and Regional scholars, politicians,
unionist, and campaigned to improve the status of women, primarily
and social activists; and
because of the inequities they faced, regarding the gender pay gap,
non-existent maternity benefits and job insecurity; and
Whereas, the Rt. Hon. Janet Gwennett Bostwick, upon admittance to
the Bar, became an even more vocal advocate for women’s rights, to au-
diences in churches, women’s groups and union for more participation
Now, therefore, at the convening of this 44th Regular Meeting of the
Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, on this 15th day of
February, Two Thousand and Twenty-Three, in the year of our Lord, the
13th CARICOM Triennial Award for Women is so conferred upon The Rt.
Hon. Dame Janet Gwennett Bostwick.
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