In a clarion call for women to step-up and become leaders, former Progressive Liberal Party Senator Robyn Lynes said The Bahamas is in ‘crisis’ and needs more women to be a part of the leadership that brings the solutions Bahamians desperately need. 

“When you have one woman in Cabinet that is not good,” Lynes, who was yesterday’s guest on Love 97’s Issues of the Day radio talk show, said.

“That is not good because that is not a good reflection of what our demographic realities are and so we need to fix that.” 

Of the 39 members of parliament, there are only five female MPs.  Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Lanisha Rolle is the only female Cabinet minister out of 19.  

While male domination in Bahamian politics needs to change, according to Lynes, she believes there are certain issues that will not be brought to the fore unless strong female leaders discuss it.

“That’s just the reality because you can only be sensitized to what you experience and there are some things that only women can advocate for because that is part of our reality and our experience as women and we need to bring that to the fore because the truth of the matter is women lead,” she explained.

“Women lead in the demographic and the electorate.  We lead as it relates to who’s running households in this country.  We lead as it relates to employment up to a particular sphere and then when it gets into the six figures etc., we start to see the numbers declining and men are predominantly the persons who are largely employed in those spheres.   

“So we now have to see more women in leadership so that it can be a conversation that is reflective of our populous.”

Although Lynes is calling for women to become leaders, she said the women who want to lead should be able to withstand the challenges that come with being in public life.  

“I don’t even consider myself to be a public figure or someone in public life, but social media can be brutal and very cruel,” she noted.

“You have to be someone who is so fixated and focused on the work that you have to do, that you shut your eye and your ear to all of that negativity that comes along with presenting yourself for public service.  You have to be able to do that and focus on the work that is ahead.”

The former senator pointed out that The Bahamas have some articulate, intelligent, brave, vocal, passionate and astute women who don’t want anything to do with politics.  But Lynes encouraged such women to get involve by becoming leaders who would make a difference in the country. 

“It’s true, I don’t want anything to do with politics, but I have a passion for governance and politics happens to be the route to it and so I must bear it until I get to where I want to get to because I can be on the outside making all the noise I want to make, unless I sit in the seat of one of the decision-makers, then I’m just another complainer and I refuse to do that in this season,” she said.

“I always tell this story.  God made Adam and Adam was one of the only things that God made and said, ‘Listen, it’s not good for him to be by himself.’  Then He made woman, a far more superior being brought in to solve the problem Adam had being by himself.  Women are problem solvers by our very nature.

“Our country is in crisis and we need our women to be part of the leadership that brings the solutions that we so desperately need.”