Special Collections: Their Excellencies
Dame Ruth Nita Barrow
GCMG, DA
1916 - 1995
Dame Nita, Barbados’ first and only female Governor General (1990-95), was a champion of social justice. She made a lifelong commitment to secure a better quality of life for all. A leader on many fronts, she was able to impact regional and international decision-making policies in areas such as Adult Education, Women and Development and Health Care.
Dame Mary Eugenia Charles
D.B.E
1919 - 2005
Dame Eugenia, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica (1980-95) is also distinguished as the first Caribbean female Head of Government. Dubbed, the “Caribbean’s Iron Lady,” Dame Eugenia’s role in the US-led Grenada Invasion heightened her standing in the international community. Regarded as a “strict constitutionalist” at home, she advanced policies aimed at strengthening Dominica’s position globally.