‘BVI women are our worst enemies’- CRC Chair Lisa E. Penn-Lettsome
Chair of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), Mrs Lisa E. Penn-Lettsome has referred to women in the Virgin Islands and West Indies as their own worst enemies for not pushing their female counterparts, but rather, relishing in their downfall.
Mrs Penn-Lettsome was at the time one of the guests on Real Talk aired Wednesday, December 7, 2022. The show was hosted by Karia J. Christopher. Former legislator Mr Ronnie W. Skelton was the other guest on the panel.
The discussions surrounded the Virgin Islands Constitution and it was during the issue of women in politics that the remarks by Penn-Lettsome, an attorney, were made.
Women their own worst enemies - Penn Lettsome
According to Mrs Christopher, while women have a tremendous amount of influence and equality in the home, women still feel they have a long way to go in terms of politics.
Mrs Penn-Lettsome, while adding her voice to the conversation said; however, women remain their own worst enemies.
“West Indian Women [and] BVI women are our worst enemies... Because I think that if you're saying the women have the equality in the home and it's not transposing to the society, what I find is when women are in power they don't pull up young women,” she added.
Mrs Penn-Lettsome explained that women instead tend to exhibit certain behaviours that do not uplift their female counterparts, but rather pull them down.
Mrs Penn-Lettsome was at the time a guest
on Realtalk with Karia J. Christopher alongside Ronnie W. Skelton on
the topic of the Virgin Islands Constitution including the need for more
women to enter politics.
Women relish in downfall of other women- Ms Penn-Lettsome
“Instead of women inspiring a successful colleague, who's also female, they sought to relish in your downfall or your disappointments,” she added.
Mrs Penn-Lettsome said while the points raised by Christopher are valid, there may still be some need for women to push themselves a bit further as compared to men.
“At the same time when you're doing that it would help if we ourselves would push our sisters, and I don’t find that we do that,” she said.
Whether she was "pushed" by her "sisters" or not, Mrs Penn-Lettsome is an accomplished Virgin Islander.
She holds a Master of Laws from the School of Financial Services of the University of New South Wales, Australia, a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of the West Indies, and an International Diploma in Compliance from the University of Manchester Business School and the International Compliance Association.
Mrs Penn-Lettsome is a lawyer with over 25 years experience and recently completed a 3-year term as the Executive Director of International Business with the Government of the Virgin Islands. This follows 13 years as Senior Counsel and Head of Regulation with an international law firm.
She previously held the positions of Deputy Registrar of High Court, Acting Magistrate, Registrar of Companies, Deputy Managing Director of the Financial Services Commission and Acting Deputy Governor of the Virgin Islands.
Mrs Penn-Lettsome is also a past President of the BVI Bar Association, first chairman of the Financial Investigations Agency and first Secretary of the BVI Reporting Authority and has served on numerous Boards and committees.
