Stuart Jack

Equality through democracy: celebrating women's suffrage

Yesterday marked exactly 50 years since women first voted in Cayman following the adoption of the islands’ first constitution two months earlier. Yesterday a set of postage stamps to commemorate these two anniversaries was launched at Government House (the Governor’s residence).  

Women have always played a large role in Cayman: during the period when many men were away at sea for months and years on end they largely ran the country as well as, of course, managed their families. But they only got the vote after a campaign started by 24 women who signed a petition in 1948. 

Two of the three surviving signatories came for the stamp launch and the members of the family of the third also attended. The three ladies are represented by three hands holding pens in one of the stamps. Life has moved on a lot over the last 50 years and four of the Speakers of the Legislative Assembly have been women.

Posted at 15:40 24 September 2009 by Stuart Jack  |  Comments[0]