KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Vincentians women are being encouraged to dress in such a way that they do not tempt their male compatriots.
Deputy Prime Minister Girlyn Miguel, the only female government Parliamentary Representative, told Parliament yesterday that the women of this country are “abused, refused and accused by many of our men.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is not good enough,” she said.
“I want to ask our young women, in particular to dress themselves properly. I know that sometimes, their mode of dress is not good at all and it is important that they dress themselves and do not give temptation to our men,” said Miguel, who is also Minister of Education, during the Budget Debate.
“I know that many a times, they do this but our men can sometimes pull them up a bit and say ‘No’. They have all their mammary glands (breasts) outside — some of them — and they need to know there are two good reasons why we were given these glands.
“Yes, I am speaking as a woman because it hurts me at times to see even the way we dress sometimes for church and when going to funerals.
“And some of our women are almost naked. And … these are some of the little things in society that we need to pay attention to,” Miguel said in the male-dominated Parliament.
“How many of us know the two big uses of the breasts of a woman,” siad Miguel, as former head teacher.
“… one is to suckle the young and the next one is to comfort her husband,” she said as she and other MPs chuckled.
“And these are little things that our girls need to know; and our women. And that is why, sometimes, one of the first things that the little babies say is ‘mama’ because it is the mammary gland why she is called ‘mama’,” she further stated.
“But on a serious note, we need to educate our girls, give them a chance. … if they make any mistakes, if they do not do the things which are right, we do not have to kill them, we do not have to chop them we need to have that love in our hearts,” she further sated.
Statistics says that his country, which last year recorded several homicides and other heinous acts of violence against women, is the femicide capital of the eight-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States.
“… we have to remember who woman is. Woman is mother; woman is sister; woman is auntie; woman’s hands are the hands that rock the cradle,” Miguel told lawmakers.
“And as a woman myself, … I am asking that each parliamentarians, we do our best as we meet our groups, that we speak to them. We need to encourage our girls. … Sometimes, they stray on the streets and if you meet them, don’t be afraid to call the Ministry of Education,” Miguel said.