BASSETERRE St. Kitts, July 12th, 2012 - Under the distinguished patronage of the Governor General, His Excellency Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, the Ministry of Health launched the “Equality for All” Human Rights Campaign at a gala event at the St Kitts Marriott Resort on Thursday 5th July 2012. Following an excellent rendition of the national anthem by 2011 Junior Kittitian Superstar Ms Kaylor Bass, the program got underway with Pastor Lincoln Connor invoking God’s blessings on the proceedings and the campaign.
Minister of Health, the Honorable Marcella Liburd welcomed the gathering and in her brief remarks gave an overview of the campaign. She pointed to the instances in our society where we still scorn the sick, scoff at the physically-challenged and make the mentally-ill the butt of our jokes. And she reminded us that these too were humans who should be treated with the same respect and dignity and have the same access to all the rights that the rest of us expect and enjoy, such as health care, education and employment.
The Minister urged civil society to join forces with the policy-makers to ensure the protection of the human rights of all so that St Kitts and Nevis could be made better through the realization of equality for all. Educator and social commentator Mr Loughlin Tatem was well-received as he treated the audience to a riveting dramatic presentation in which he likened human rights to things in nature such as trees and rivers and warned how they could be violated even as we mistreat our natural environment.
The guest speaker for the evening was the Director of the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) Ms Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland who is an attorney-at-law by training and has nearly two decades of experience in health policy regionally and internationally. She is a committed human rights advocate and was recently appointed as a regional gender advocate for the Caribbean Coalition on Women and Girls/UN Women.
She is interested in policy and law reform in the Caribbean region, particularly in enhancing the human rights agenda. Her presentation traced the development of human rights in the region and spoke to the human rights landscape in the Federation since our Independence as articulated in our Constitution.
Members of the audience engaged Ms Bynoe-Sutherland in a provocative discussion following her presentation in which she was able to address a range of issues. She closed by reminding the gathering that in the protection of our human rights, ensuring that they are not violated, and that we do not violate others’ rights, it is always helpful to ask the question “what would Jesus do?” Local attorney-at-law Mrs Angela Inniss-Hodge moved the vote of thanks, after which tokens were presented to the speaker and other participants. The evening ended with a cocktail reception as the gathering was entertained by the smooth sounds of local steel pan maestro, Melvin ‘Mellie’ Hewlett.
The “Equality for All” Campaign which comes to an end on July 31st will feature other activities including town hall meetings and an essay competition. The general public is urged to turn out to the meetings in the community centers and to participate in the essay competition. The details of the competition can be found on the campaign’s facebook page – Human Rights SKN, or can be obtained from the Ministry of Health at Bladen Commercial Development. Details of the time and venues for the town hall meetings will be made available through the press and radio announcements. For more information, call 664-6897.
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