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Maria Bird Browne
Housing Minister Maria Browne is advocating for more women to pursue careers in the construction industry, expressing concern over the lack of female representation in this field.
During Tuesday’s debate on the National Budget, she mentioned that in her role overseeing housing development and works, she has encountered only a small number of women involved in construction.
She said construction is predominantly a male field, and she has only met a few women who are interested in it.
In fact, we had about ten interns from the Harrison Centre assigned to National Housing this year and all have agreed to stay on after they were offered permanent jobs by the agency; among them was one female,” she said
Minister Browne emphasized her desire to see an increase in the number of women entering the construction sector.
She pointed out the country’s acute shortage of skilled workers, which has prompted the government to consider allowing skilled non-nationals to come to Antigua and Barbuda to fill those gaps.
She highlighted that wages in the construction industry are quite competitive and assured that women who enter this field can expect attractive pay.
“You would have heard of the construction boom, the attractive wages and Ibelieve that it is time for our women to tap into that industry; whether it is heavy- duty, construction itself or construction management, there are many avenues for revenue-generation, especially for single mothers,” she said
Minister Browne underlined that the potential for women in this sector is vast and made a heartfelt appeal for more women to step forward and take advantage of the numerous benefits available in construction.
Now you want to flood the construction sites with women when you your self as a woman cannot manage the ministry of works and housing some things are just not women suited.. look at how you have our roads and government built homes
Mrs Maria Browne, you should make the first move to work in the construction field as a role model to young women, then other young women will follow. You need to be telling us the people when you are going to give us proper roads, maintaining the government building and other infrastructures.
Great that you are telling dem contractors that dem need fu employ more women in the construction field because it’s not that women don’t want to, but how they are precieved when they tried to.
Maybe you haffu start first.
However, I would like to hear that you are going around and visit the highways and byways, note their conditions and get them fixed, no matter who representing the area.
We put you there to represent everyone.
Talking of importing skilled workers; since wen Antigua people nuh hab skilled workers!? Ah people wid paper aryuh ah look fah!?
Plenty ah dem wid paper out dey, but no skills, so nuh try dat.
How many times these people come in an arl dem do, ah line de roads selling things dat de local people can do, and if we really check, dem nar contribute anything to de economy outside ah maintaing themselves ?