Sixteen receive Distinguished Women in Law and Order Awards as part of National Women's Empowerment Celebrations

NASSAU, The Bahamas - Sixteen women from across the law and order sector of The Bahamas received Distinguished Women in Law and Order Awards (Tuesday, March 3) in recognition of their excellence, leadership, and service on the front lines of Law and Order in-country.

The 2nd Annual National Women's Empowerment Awards Ceremony was held at Government House, Mount Fitzwilliam, and was presided over by Governor-General, the Most Hon. Dame Cynthia A. Pratt, O.N., G.C.M.G., who applauded women in The Bahamas for playing pivotal roles in shaping the nation's legal, political, and social landscapes.

"As trailblazers in the judiciary, the legal profession, public service and legislative reform, (women) have advanced equality, justice and national development," Dame Cynthia said.

"Their historic and ongoing contributions as attorneys, judges, magistrates, law enforcement officers, legislators, educators, religious leaders, and advocates, have strengthened the rule of law, expanded access to justice, promoted human rights, and supported the modernization of legal and civic institutions throughout the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

"I am proud to stand with you, our honorees, to celebrate the advancement of women's empowerment and fostering a more inclusive Bahamas."

Recipients of the 2026 Award included: Dame Anita Allen; Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles, OM; the Hon. Justice Rhonda P. Bain (Law Reform Consultant); Cheryl Grant-Thompson, Senior Justice, Supreme Court; Marion Bethel, Commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; Tanya Galanis, O.D., Principal, Eugene Dupuch Law School; and Danya Wallace, Director of Legal Affairs.

Other recipients were: Cordell Frazier, Director of Public Prosecutions; Bernadette Thompson-Murray, Deputy Commissioner, Bahamas Department of Corrections; Captain Natasha Miller, Deputy Commander, Royal Bahamas Defence Force; Cloretta Gomez, OD, Deputy Comptroller, Bahamas Customs; Marilyn Burrows, Assistant Director, Immigration; Kayla Green-Smith, Deputy Director of Legal Affairs.

Also receiving awards were: Jewel Major, Consultant in the Human Rights Unit of the Office of the Attorney-General; Commander Wendy Pearson, Superintendent, Drug Enforcement Unit; and Marianne Cadet, Public Defender in the Office of the Public Defenders.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, Mrs. Phedra Rahming-Turnquest, representing Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, the Hon. Myles K. LaRoda, applauded the honorees for their unwavering commitment to justice.

"Because access to justice is not theoretical. It is institutional. It is structural. It is lived. Today, we celebrate your excellence. We honour your leadership.

We recognise your sacrifice, and we commend your unwavering commitment to justice.

"You are strengthening access to justice not only through policy - but through presence because when women uphold the law, justice is strengthened. When women lead institutions, accountability is strengthened. When women serve with integrity, the nation is strengthened.

"May your service continue to inspire future generations. May your example widen pathways for young women who aspire to serve. And may your legacy endure in the systems you have helped to build."

Mrs. Rahming-Turnquest said for nearly three decades since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995, the international community has affirmed that women's full and equal access to justice is fundamental to equality, development, and peace.

Through the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), she said, States have committed to eliminating discrimination in legal and public systems. Under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Goal 5 calls for gender equality, and Goal 16 calls for peaceful, inclusive societies with access to justice for all and effective, accountable institutions.

"These are not distant global ideals. They are national responsibilities. Access to justice means that laws must protect women and girls from violence and discrimination. It means institutions must be responsive and fair. It means that systems must be accessible, transparent, and accountable. It means removing structural barriers that prevent women -- particularly the vulnerable -- from seeking protection or redress."

Permanent Secretary Rahming-Turnquest said none of this happens by accident.

"It happens because of leadership. It happens because of discipline. It happens because of service. Today, we honour women who serve on the front lines of Law and Order -- within law enforcement, the judiciary, prosecution, corrections, legal reform, and national security. These women are not merely participants in our justice system. They are pillars of it.

"Their work strengthens public confidence. Their integrity strengthens institutions. Their presence strengthens representation. When a woman commands within the Royal Bahamas Police Force, she does more than lead operations, -- she redefines authority.

"When a woman presides in court or shapes legal policy, she does more than interpret statutes, she influences the lived experience of justice in our country. When women occupy positions of leadership in justice systems, they help ensure that institutions reflect the society they serve.

"Representation in justice matters, because justice must be both impartial and inclusive," Mrs. Rahming-Turnquest added.

(BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson)