Some spouses of Ministers and Secretaries of State do not participate fully in some national ceremonies because they feel offended by the event organizers.
Marie Jacqueline A. Siapno, the wife of the Vice Prime Minister Fernando Lasama de Araujo, said she did not usually accompany her husband at national ceremonies as the event organizers offended her.
“I have already had experience in the previous AMP government, so I feel bored following ceremonies like this as I already know about these experiences,” Siapno said after a meeting between SEPI and the spouses of government members at the Government Palace in Dili.
She raised the issue because sometimes when she accompanies her husband at national ceremonies, there is no seat for her.
“The event organizers needs to fix this and organize better, not have people snatching at chairs,” she said.
The wife of the Minister of Public Works, Suzana Brigida Esteves da Silva, said while there’s talk about gender equality, people invite them but then do not consider the spouses.
She said at some events they did consider spouses, but they felt offended as there was no where for them to sit and it was not right to make them sit at the back.
“We feel left out amongst our friends, as our husbands want to be accompanied and even they feel offended,” da Silva said.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality Idelta Maria Rodrigues acknowledged there was still a big problem with event organizers so everyone should collaborate with them.
She said they should confirm so they don’t complain about National Women’s Day, celebrated on November 3 every year, especially this year as several nations would participate.
“We have a big problem not only for spouses but sometimes seats are not prepared for us as members of government, there are many things we need to fix, so I reaffirm that the spouses of the government should accompany their husbands in the celebration,” the Secretary of State said.
She added the event organizing team for National Women’s Day celebrations was prepared to receive guests from inside and outside of the country for participation in the important event.
