Mamo dead at 86

Former Dominican PM Dame Mary Eugenia Charles, known affectionately as Mamo, passed today in a Martiniquan hospital where she'd sought treatment for a broken hip. The Caribbean Iron Lady led Dominica from 1980 to 1995. Dame Eugenia was the island's first female lawyer and first female PM fending off no less than 3 coup attempts. She garnered international notoriety in 1983 for her backing of the US invasion of Grenada. Her response to criticism over the affair was typical.

"The Grenadians wanted it, and that's all that counts," she said. "I don't care what the rest of the world thinks."

In a 1999 interview, Dame Eugenia spoke of her unique upbringing and women politicians. Here's Mamo on leadership:

Well, first of all, my father was a parlimentarian before me, not in the same system that I entered into... But I learned from him that it's important to listen to other people, ... that you have to hear, and understand, what other people are thinking and doing, so that you can formulate ideas, and plans to push the ideas forward.

Because it's not your ideas that count, it's the ideas of the general public and the persons living in the country. The citizens have a right to form their country, and so you have to listen to them to hear what they have to say. You don't always accept everything, but you have to listen and you have to be able to explain to them why you don't take certain decisions. Because they are better for them, to take another decision.

Click the pic to watch the entire Dessima Williams' 1999 interview with Dame Eugenia.

Read more about Mamo HERE.

posted by dorna! @ 8:18 pm