by TONY BEST

"SHE HAS CONTINUED to exude strength and a commitment to the people of Barbados and the Caribbean region."

American Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, a first-term member of the United States House of Representatives in Washington, was describing Dame Billie Miller, Barbados' former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. She made the comments after presenting her with a congressional citation that hailed the retired parliamentarian and Cabinet minister.

"She is a fine example of what Barbados and the Caribbean as a region has produced in terms of leadership," added Clarke, the daughter of West Indian immigrants, who was elected to the House in November 2006 by the voters of the historic 11th Congressional District in Brooklyn.

"Dame Billie Miller can walk into a room and command an audience and that's a tribute to all women," Clarke told the SUNDAY SUN. "I don't believe there is a woman anywhere who wouldn't be inspired by what she has done for the nation of Barbados and by extension the Caribbean region, also by extension womanhood."

Clarke praised Dame Billie for her service to her native land and the Caribbean as a Cabinet minister, a parliamentarian representing The City in the Barbados House of Assembly for about a quarter of a century and for her work with national, regional and international non-government organisations, especially in the area of population and development.

The citation, which was signed by Clarke, was presented to Dame Billie at a function in New York City attended by members of the Caribbean diplomatic and consular corps, including Barbados' UN Ambassador Dr Chris Hackett and his wife; the country's deputy permanent representative to the world body, Gayle Francis-Vaughan; Barbados Consul-General in New York, Jessica Odle; the Bahamas' UN Ambassador Paulette Bethel; her counterpart from Dominica, Christian Gregoire; and Suriname's Permanent United Nations (UN) Representative Henry MacDonald.

Also present were Sharon Gail Wolfe, wife of Jamaica's top diplomat to the UN, Raymond Wolfe, and former City Council member Una Clarke, mother of the congresswoman.

Deserving candidate

"I have had the good fortune over the years, long before I became a member of the House of Representatives, to observe Dame Billie in operation in New York and at various conferences, including the annual Caribbean Business Conference held in different parts of the region. I was tremendously impressed with the level of her participation, not simply on Barbados' behalf but for the Caribbean region as a whole," said the congresswoman. "Put those factors together and it would become clear why I decided to present her with the citation."

The former Cabinet minister was in New York to receive the 2008 United Nations Population Award, which was described by Anders Liden, Sweden's UN ambassador as the "most prestigious award given annually in the United Nations system".

The award given to an individual and an institution comes with a gold medal, diploma and a monetary prize.

Dame Billie was also hailed by Ban Ki-Moon, the UN secretary-general, who described her as "no stranger to the UN", and a public official who has worked to make a difference in the lives of people everywhere.

The other recipient was Family Care International, a United States-based NGO which works around the world, especially in developing countries, to reduce infant and maternal mortality. Its president, Ann Starrs, received the award.

Protecting women

"For more than 20 years, Family Care International and many dedicated partners have been calling for action, and taking action to address one of the world's greatest injustice: the enormous risk of death and disability faced by women in the developing world every time they become pregnant," Starrs said.

Before the presentations, the New York Symphonic Ensemble and the UN Staff Recreational Council Singers, under the direction of Mamoru Takahara, gave a mini-concert in the Economic and Social Council Chamber.

Kiyo Akasaka, under secretary-general for communications and public information, deputised for the UN secretary-general.

Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund and secretary of the committee for the UN Population Award, said afterwards that Dame Billie and Family Care International were two outstanding examples of public service.

The presentations were followed by a reception in the UN delegates' dining room.