Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Antigua gets first female GG


Antigua and Barbuda's first female Governor General was sworn in today. Louisse Lake-Tack was appointed by Queen Elizabeth following the retirement of Sir James Beethoven Carlisle. He served as Governor General for 13 years and was the first Antiguan to hold the post.

According to www.caribbean360.com, "Louise Agnetha Lake-Tack was born on July 26, 1944 at Long Lane Estate in the Parish of St Phillip's in Antigua.

She was educated at the Freetown Government School before attending the Antigua Girls High School in St John's.

After graduation she migrated to the United Kingdom to study nursing at the Charring Cross Hospital. Following her studies, she was employed at the National Heart Hospital and the Harley Street Clinic.

Later she studied law and served as a magistrate from 1995 at both Marylebone and Horseferry Magistrate Courts. She also sat at Pocock Street Crown Court and Middlesex Crown Court to hear appeals from the lower courts.

Lake-Tack is a member of the Antigua and Barbuda National Association (London) for the last 24 years. She sat on the church committee of that group which was instrumental in arranging the annual Antigua and Barbuda Independence Church Service in London."

Welcome to a very small and unique club, Ms Lake-Tack. I think there were only two other female Governors-General in the region: the late Dame Nita Barrow of Barbados and Dame Pearlette Louisy of St. Lucia.

Photo of Louisse Lake-Tack and story adapted from www.caribbean360.com

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