From her promotion of Virgin Islands culture to her pioneering position as the first female government minister and one of the first women to be elected to the legislature, Eileene Parsons’ myriad contributions to the territory make her a worthy recipient of an Order of the British Empire award, according to supporters who spoke at a ceremony Friday morning.
Ms. Parsons has given “dedicated service to her country for over 50 years,” Governor Boyd McCleary said at the ceremony, listing her contributions to sports and other sectors, “always in response to the needs of the community.”
For her part, Ms. Parsons credited a long line of parents, relatives and friends for helping her help the territory, from those who fed and schooled her as a child to those who counselled her in her “dark days,” helped her move houses, or loyally assisted her in her work in government.
Ms. Parsons accepted her award flanked by Premier Dr. Orlando Smith and Opposition Leader Ralph O’Neal, thanking the latter for having faith in her competence to serve as the first female deputy chief minister.
See the Sept. 26, 2013 edition for full coverage.