Joanne Massiah

Senator Joanne Massiah
Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Marine Resources & Agro Industries
Member of the Senate

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Phone: 562-6971

St. Peter

Senator Joanne Massiah is the Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Marine Resources & Agro-Industry in the United Progressive Party (UPP) Administration. As the first woman appointed to the Upper House of Parliament by the UPP, she continues to be a leading female personality in the party.

Senator Massiah is an Attorney-at-Law by profession. Prior to assuming public office, she practiced in the law firm of Massiah and Mack where she specialized in civil, corporate and family law. She is a graduate of the Antigua Girls High School, an honours graduate of the City University of New York and holds a B.A in Political Science. She also holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Oregon Law School and is a member of both the New York and Antigua & Barbuda bars. She holds Executive Education Certificates from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Senator Massiah is a well-known advocate of women’s and children’s issues. Her activism includes being a past president of the Collaborative Committee for the Promotion of Emotional Health in Children (CCOPE), a member of the Professional Organization for Women in Antigua and Barbuda (POWA), a founding member of the Performing Arts Society of Antigua and Barbuda (PASAB) to name a few. She regularly counsels young people.

She is the proud mother of two adolescent sons, Kurt and Brian, both of whom are enrolled at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. She is committed to the professional and educational development of young people and the empowerment of every citizen and resident in Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Caribbean. Her other interests include gourmet cuisine, golf, steelpan, jazz and blues.

Getting the Job Done for St. Peter

• Initiated preparatory classes for the Common Entrance Examination for Grade 6 students at the Gunthorpes Branch;
• Opened a Computer Access Centre Center at Gunthorpes Branch;
• Provided training in Introductory and Intermediary Information Technology Courses for constituents;
• Opened and maintained 2 community libraries at Parham and Gunthorpes;
• Provided ongoing training and employment opportunities for constituents;
• Hosted annual summer camp for children ages 4-12 where youth were exposed to many new and exciting educational programmes;
• Initiated a monthly food basket programme where over 6000 packages distributed to the elderly and less fortunate families;
• Worked with the Ministry of Sports to ensure the commencement of upgrades for sports and recreational facilities in various communities;
• Participated in the upgrade and equipping of the school library at Parham Primary School;
• Facilitated the donation of agricultural inputs to support the Agricultural Curriculum at Pares Secondary School;
• Successfully implemented the Schools Meals Programme at Parham and Pares Primary Schools where over 15,000 meals served to date;
• Contributed annually to the Prizes and Awards Ceremonies to recognize outstanding students within communities;
• Facilitated and assisted several students to procure scholarships to universities and colleges overseas;
• Donated books and other educational materials to pre, primary, and secondary schools;
• Worked with APUA to bring electricity and water services to many communities;
• Worked with CBH to ensure communities were cleared of overgrown bushes;
• Worked with NSWMA to facilitate the removal of bulk waste from across communities;
• Hosted annual Christmas parties for children of all ages;
• Worked with Ministry of Agriculture, CMC, and CARDI to develop the Parham Lodge Agricultural Programme;
• Worked with APUA to increase the number of street lights in various communities;
• Empowered residents and small businesses through land ownership opportunities;
• Worked with Ministry of Works to ensure commencement of road rehabilitation programme across communities;
• Worked with youth to develop skills for job interviews and resume preparation;
• Worked with private sector companies to facilitate job placement for and unemployed persons;
• Sponsored students to participate in overseas educational field trips organized by schools.

A Plan for St. Peter

Community Development

Our respective communities are reflective of our collective vision of the types of neighbourhoods in which we desire to raise our families and retire. Achieving a well ordered, peaceful and clean environment demands that all of us work collaboratively and re-commit to being each other’s keepers.

As your elected Representative, I PLEDGE to:

• Ensure that the infrastructure upgrades at the clinics at Parham and Pares are completed in a timely manner;
• Ensure the road rehabilitation programme reaches ALL communities especially those in village expansions;
• Institute a home work supervised program and study groups designed to ensure improved academic performance by our students;
• Encourage the formation of more neighbourhood watch associations;

Establish a confidential hotline for reporting suspicious criminal activity;

• Work with the Gender Affairs Division to offer personal safety training for all residents especially our women;
• Work with the Police to remove known hazards from our community which facilitate crime;
• Provide each single mother and the elderly with a fire alarm system for their homes.
• Retrain unemployed and at risk youths to facilitate employment opportunities.

Social Programmes

In keeping with our “People First” philosophy, I have demonstrated my total commitment to improving the lives of you, the constituents, by guaranteeing your participation in several constituency and national people centered programs. As your elected Representative, I PLEDGE to:

• Facilitate the construction of a Senior Citizens’ Centre at a strategic location within the constituency;
• Institute a monthly recreational day where senior citizens will be taken on bus tours and picnics to various sites on the island;
• Ensure that all eligible seniors benefit from the Utility Subsidy Programme, the People’s Benefit Programme, the Annual Home Improvement Grant, the $100,000.00 exemption from property taxes and other social programes;
• Guarantee employment opportunities for at least 20 persons within the first 60 days to provide employment opportunities through the Government’s Residential Assistance & Care for the Elderly and Eligible Programme (GRACE);

Sports and Cultural Development

It is a fact that our communities have produced numerous athletes who have distinguished themselves in a variety of sports to include, cricket, football, basketball, horse racing, netball, tennis, swimming, and sailing on the national, regional, and international levels. A significant number of these athletes have spoken with me and have expressed a desire to play a more meaningful role in sports development in our constituency. Likewise, our communities are filled with persons whose talents are waiting to be unleashed and appropriately channelled. In the ongoing development of our communities, culture will feature more prominently in our social agenda. As your elected Representative, I PLEDGE to:-

• Work with key government agencies to construct community centres at strategic locations;
• Collaborate with the private sector businesses to secure sponsorship for cultural groups;
• Continue to work with the Ministry and Board of Education as well as, our overseas Missions to procure scholarship opportunities for persons desirous of further developing their talents;
• Facilitate the construction and completion of the multi-million dollar horse track facility at Northsound;
• Ensure at least 5 young persons are trained at universities and colleges overseas to seize employment opportunities upon the commissioning of the horse race track facility;
• Continue to collaborate with the Ministry of Sport to ensure the completion of the upgrades for all existing sporting facilities;
• Facilitate the equipping and training of sports teams through private sector sponsorship;
• Identify lands within at least 3 residential communities to construct and equip recreational parks designed to benefit the very young and senior citizens;
• Continue to work with private sector businesses, sports organizations, and other groups to ensure scholarship opportunities reach those who are most deserving of developing their skills and talents;
• Ensure that sports teams have professional coaches drawn from within the community where available and from other communities, if necessary;
• Host intra-community friendly matches between sports teams;
• Ensure that our sporting facilities are kept in the professional condition through regular upgrades by the Ministry of Sports;
• Appoint a Grounds Coordinator and a to manage the existing sports facilities;

Marine Resources Opportunities

A significant portion of our constituency lies along the north east coast. Many types of marine related activities have traditionally taken place in Parham Town, Fitches Creek, and Mercers Creek. However, there are numerous untapped opportunities awaiting you.

In 2005, the north east coast was declared a marine reserve. This area stretches from Beggars Point to York Island. Within this area, many alternative livelihood opportunities await you which are all designed to lead to greater independence for you and your facilities. As your elected Representative, I PLEDGE to:

• Work with the relevant national and regional agencies to establish an Interpretation Centre at the Parham Fisheries Complex where nationals and visitors can gain better insight and understanding of the importance of our marine resources sector to our economy and communities;
• Encourage the establishment of business opportunities in ancillary marine related services such as water taxi services, dive services, snorkeling, tour guiding, aquaculture with emphasis on sea moss and handicraft;
• Host regular workshops to better inform and train fishers on issues such as safety-at-sea, GPS monitoring, marketing and processing.