Newly appointed Senator Abena St. Luce has outlined youth mentorship and greater female leadership as the central pillars of her work in Antigua and Barbuda's Upper House. According to Antigua News Room, St. Luce made the commitment following her swearing-in ceremony at Government House on Friday.
Speaking after the ceremony, St. Luce described the occasion as emotional and "bittersweet," disclosing that her father was unable to attend due to illness.
"I'm still getting over the shock of it," she said. "And it's a bittersweet moment for me, to be honest with you. I am a little saddened that my father could not be here with me. He's not well. But I know if he were here at this event, he would be probably my biggest cheerleader."
St. Luce, the daughter of the late national figure Sir John E. St. Luce, also extended her gratitude to Prime Minister Gaston Browne for her appointment. "I would like to thank the Prime Minister, Honourable Gaston Browne, for being selected for this honourable position, and I hope to serve the nation to the fullest and the best of my abilities," she said.
When asked about the issues she intends to raise in Senate debates, St. Luce said her experience as a mother directly shapes her priorities. She is the parent of a 15-year-old and a 12-year-old.
"Naturally, I am very passionate about our youth, the opportunities, ensuring that they are provided the support they require in order to flourish in our environment," she said.
The new senator was emphatic that youth development must extend beyond access to schools and structured programmes. Mentorship and emotional encouragement, she argued, are equally essential.
"It's one thing to create the environment to make sure we have all the different schools and educational programs, but they also need mentorship," St. Luce said. "They need somebody there to encourage them and motivate them and tell them, not only are these things accessible, but you are worthy."
Women's leadership represents the other major cause St. Luce intends to champion during her Senate tenure. She cited her membership in SEWIL, Caribbean Women in Leadership, as a driving force behind that commitment.
"I want to see more women occupying spaces of leadership," she said. "So I will be pushing my fellow sisters here in Antigua and Barbuda to reach for the heights and have a voice at the table."
St. Luce was among several first-time senators sworn in on Friday as Parliament continues to be reconstituted following the April 30 general election.
