Foremost women's activist in Guyana, Caribbean
MINISTER of Human Services and Social Security, Ms. Indra Chandarpal has had a distinguished career so far, emerging as one of the best and finest women leaders not only in Guyana, but also in the Caribbean. According to Information Minister, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo, Minister Chandarpal has emerged as "one of the foremost women's activists in Guyana and the Caribbean and a leader for many years in the human rights movement". A release from the Guyana Information Services (GIS) said Minister Nagamootoo was at the time speaking on the GIS Forum, a weekly programme which he hosts. It is aired every Wednesday evening on GTV Channel 11. Each week, the Information Minister interviews a State official to explain the policies, programmes and plans for specialised sectors. In her discourse, Minister Chandarpal dealt with her life in politics, women's issues and the challenges and successes of her portfolios in the areas of housing, human services and social security. According to Minister Chandarpal, her lifestyle has not changed much since she was involved in politics, 30 years ago. But in terms of her personality, she has grown very much. "In terms of self-esteem, confidence and intelligence, I think I have come a very far way, but basically, I'm the same down-to-earth person that anyone can talk to, anywhere and in any place. I am very accessible to people. "I have had a long history, but having a long history is not the issue; it is what you were able to do in those 30 years, is what really matters," she opined. The GIS further stated that the housing sector is currently a huge success story of the present administration and Minister's Chandarpal's contributions to the housing section has resulted in its overall success. "It was the greatest challenge in my life to be in the housing sector. Perhaps people would look at this sector with some negatives about it; like everything else, there will always be the positives and the negatives," she said. "It was one of the greatest challenges for me at the time the late President (Dr. Cheddi) Jagan indicated to us that we should try to find all the land that was available to us in Guyana, because he had this idea that we should try and get this land, and to ensure that people will have the opportunity to go onto the land," she added. Minister Chandarpal noted that housing was included in Government's agenda when it assumed office in 1992 . "We had nothing to start on, as you know the Ministry of Housing was dismantled, and therefore all we had to start with was the commitment and the will". "I have never had so many people in Guyana wanting something like (they did) in those periods," she recalled, adding that there were days when more than 800 persons would seek the Ministry's help with respect to housing. Minister Chandarpal recently signed a Regional Inter Agency (UN) project document on Violence Against Women, ensuring her government becomes a signatory to the Belem Do Para Convention. She also ensures that gender training for managers and executives, as well as training for women in political leadership are on-going exercises. The Minister has indicated that she would initiate the setting up of the Family Court and the Family Code since she feels that family cohesiveness is of vital importance to nation building. Minister Chandarpal completed commercial education in Guyana before leaving for the Soviet Union where she studied Political Science, Communication and Journalism.
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