Playing the Part

If you follow me at all on my personal Instagram ( @saph.alexander) you would’ve seen me post quite a bit about my experience spending the day at the British High Commission with several highlights.

However, an array of images does little to express how truly transformative, informative and inspirational this day was for me.

It was all part of a joint initiative between Guardian Media Group and The British High Commission to celebrate International Women’s Day and to commemorate this year’s theme #PressforProgress

So, in honor of International Youth Day on Sunday as well as this month’s theme on the blog “Strong Female Character”, here’s an account of how my day went as the first female British High Commissioner… for a day that is.

The day started pretty early, which was a bit jarring after multiple vacation days of sleeping in till 8 or later. On this day I had to be up early and in Port of Spain by 7:30a.m. to assume my position. I was so nervous and filled with excitement and curiosity as to what the day would bring.

Before I knew it I was at the office and ready to start my day, itinerary in hand.

I had already been briefed about who i’d be meeting, potential topics of discussion and any other important details. I’d even had a mini-tour and a quick staff introduction the week prior.

Everything was all set and at 8 I met with His excellency Tim Stew MBE, who we’ll refer to as HC from now on, to run through what would be happening today and to address any last minute concerns I may have had. He assured me that I had absolutely nothing to worry about but that I should be prepared for a pretty hectic day.

One thing you pick up pretty quickly at the High Commission is the fact that acronyms are everywhere and you’re probably not gonna understand any of them but you’ll get the jist of it all …. mostly.

The day started formally with a Tuesday Morning Meeting (TMM) where representatives from each division of staff met with HC and I to discuss what would be happening at the High Commission in the near future as well as any concerns to be addressed.

I learned how multi-faceted the commision really is and I also met some really amazing, kind and hardworking members of staff who do great work for UK citizens and businesses as well as for us here in Trinidad.

Straight from the TMM we were driven over to speak with The Ambassador for the EU Delegation of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Aad Biesebrook.

At his office we spoke a lot about the work of the EU Delegation in partnership with the British High Commission ( projects like #letstalktt in partnership with the 2CentsMovement to address issues of domestic violence), the work the delegation itself is doing in Trinidad as well as to discuss the necessity of climate action and girls’ education.

Immediately after this we were off to Parliament to meet with Independent Senator, Mr. Dhanayshar Mahabir. He exuberantly detailed the role and importance of the independent senate as well as some of the issue he has championed for in parliament.

In our conversation he stressed the importance of youth in parliament, of equity measures for women and disabled persons in parliament as well as how necessary it is as a society for us to speak about the more difficult issues ( equal and reproductive rights, legalization of marijuana). It was a truly refreshing conversation and his passion and enthusiasm was felt throughout the room.

By then we were nearing lunch and had to drive over to the residence to finalize some last minute lunch details.

The residence was truly breathtaking. Lush greenery and beautiful flora framing a grand colonial style house provided a much needed contrast to bustling Port-of-Spain. It was a perfect balance of refined formality and cool relaxation, perfect for accommodating foreign dignitaries or just relaxing with friends. I loved it, especially when during meetings we were visited by pairs of hummingbirds or even HC’s dog, my personal favorite meeting of the day.

Lunch was definitely a highlight.

A table filled with young leaders working passionately for social change. The food was of course delicious, but the true star of the table was the discussion. Learning about their respective organizations and sharing an open dialogue with these leaders was my favorite experience. The lunch ended with each person sharing some advice for me to implement, it was great advice that struck a chord with me and that I will not soon forget.

From lunch we moved to a meeting with Mrs. Dale Laughlin and Ms. Lisa Ghany of the Powerful Ladies of Trinidad and Tobago (PLOTT).

For our final meeting we returned to parliament but this time to visit the Office of the Prime Minister in the area of Gender and Child Affairs.In this meeting we discussed the importance of men joining the conversation on women’s rights and sharing their opinions on issues of equality. Ms. Ayana Webster Roy spoke passionately about their barber shop initiatives, child advocacy programs and how as youth leaders we should take the initiative to mentor others.

With my final meeting concluded we returned to the commission for our goodbyes.

Through my experience I learned how hectic the British High Commission really is.

We were constantly on the go and at the mercy of unpredictable scheduling shifts which the High Commission’s Political, Press and Public Affairs officer Siddel was excellent at juggling to ensure that our day ran smoothly.

I learned about how multi-faceted the commission really is as on this day we discussed an array of issues though i understand that that was merely the tip of the iceberg.

The kindness open-mindedness and compassion of everyone I met on this day was truly overwhelming and I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity to meet with and engage with each and every one of them.

When given the opportunity to converse with so many people who share the same drive and and passion for the greater good whether that be in terms of climate change, equal rights or youth empowerment leaves you no less than inspired, motivated and in awe of them and their work.

This day was truly amazing and no words can express my gratitude or how excellent this day was but I hope through this article I’ve expressed as much.

To find out more about the initiative and the people I met, here are there links:

Instagram:

Twitter: @HCTimStew

Please send them all your support.

For more info on:

PLOTT : http://www.plottonline.org/welcome/

EU Delegation: https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/trinidad-and-tobago_en

Independent Senators: http://www.ttparliament.org/index.php

Office of The Prime Minister - Gender and Child Affairs: http://www.opm-gca.gov.tt/

- caribbeanfeminist