In the case of her own household, former UBP Senator Yvette Swan declares that God is the head, while she and Malcolm, her husband of 30 years, are equal partners under His watch.

In the wider world, however, Mrs. Swan believes that "a woman's place is in the House ... of Parliament,'' and this was the theme of an address she was recently invited to give before the International Federation of Business & Professional Women in Torrean, Mexico.

Since Mexico is not a country known for the domination of women in professional circles, let alone politics -- a status quo which also prevails in the countries of many of the other women present -- Mrs. Swan not only chose to define the path to political involvement, but also urged her audience to take up a role for which she believed they were naturally suited.

"I told them that they already had the necessary qualities to be good politicians because, as women, they were caring and diligent, understanding, determined and assertive,'' the former UBP Minister of Community & Cultural Affairs related.

The speaker said she believed that leaders, such as politicians, were born and not made, and she questioned the fact that, through tradition, women felt men made better politicians, when in fact women might be better.

Citing financial management as one example, she said that because many women were accustomed to running their households and providing for their children on very limited budgets, she felt that would make them better able to handle Government coffers than men.

As another example, she maintained that, since women tended to fight with their hearts and hands, unlike men who seemed to prefer a more violent form of confrontation, they would be better at negotiation and arbitration.

"When it comes to politics, on average women think before they act,'' she said.

Reminding her audience that the modern women's movement had energised females to excel by returning to the classroom to gain better qualifications, as well becoming more involved in their communities, churches, sports and party politics, Mrs. Swan said she believed being a member of Parliament was the end of an evolutionary process which began in school.

"Instead of sitting back and letting the boys take these jobs, girls should strive to become presidents of their clubs and chairpersons of their committees, from which they could progress to similar offices on the school council in high school, and students unions in colleges,'' she said. "All of this would form the groundwork of their involvement in their country's politics.'' However, the speaker cautioned against telling young people they must set big goals, such as becoming premier of a country, because in most cases they could not cope with the magnitude of them. Instead, she believed they would be more successful if, with adult guidance, they were encouraged to pursue more realistic goals on a step by step basis on their journey to the top.

Certainly, Mrs. Swan knows whereof she speaks, for she has been involved in politics since she was eight years old, and quickly learned that she could make a difference.

As a teenager, for example, realising that she needed physics to pursue her chosen profession of optometry, she successfully lobbied the headmistress of her high school for it to be added to the curriculum.

"Today, it is the best girls' school in Jamaica for physics,'' she declared proudly.

From there, Mrs. Swan went on to become president of the Students Union at her college in London; a UBP Minister and Senator in Bermuda, and world president of the International Federation of Business & Professional Women -- one of the largest women's organisations in the world.

For all this progress, however, she felt that in Bermuda, while it was said that women had achieved equality with men, they really had not.

"Although all three political parties are headed by women, when you look at the composition of the House of Assembly and the Senate you see that there is still this male dominance,'' she pointed out.

Yet the former UBP Minister and Senator stressed this should not be viewed as a deterrent.

"Women know that their children need to succeed academically, and how to mould them for the future; they know what it is to calm their menfolk -- just look at any successful marriage -- so if we can do all that, then our places really must be in politics, and in the House of Parliament.'' Acknowledging that the realities of today's world dictate that most families need the economic support of women as well as men to survive, the mother of three told her fellow females: "I believe women must be free to do what they feel is right for the family and go out and earn accordingly.'' No stranger to the podium, Mrs. Swan says she was deeply honoured to be asked to address the conference on a subject close to her heart. The invitation was doubly significant, she said, because countries like Mexico traditionally turn to their own resources for speakers.

Memorable as the occasion was, however, it was a thrilling trip to the famous Penolis foundries to watch the production of gold and silver which was her personal highlight.

"That alone was tremendous,'' Mrs. Swan enthused. "To see the separation of gold and silver by electrolysis in sulphuric acid was unforgettable. The metals are then washed, and each is heated to its own temperature, following which it is made into gold and silver bars, or something that looks like popcorn, depending on the client's wishes.'' The visitor still marvels at the weight of a six-inch gold bar.

"It was so heavy that I had to use both hands to lift it,'' she recalled.

"They joke that if you can lift it up in one hand, hold it at arm's length, and walk out with it it's yours. I just looked at it in awe.'' Quite naturally, security was extremely tight in and around the factory, and Mrs.

Swan was not only accompanied throughout her tour, but also frisked several times. Like everyone else, she had to wear special wraps around her shoes which, when removed, are washed to retrieve the residual precious metal particles they pick up from the floor.

"Nothing is wasted,'' she said.

Even now, the Bermudian guest speaker cannot believe her luck in getting inside a place few ever see in their lifetime.

"It was unbelievable,'' she recalled. "The Mexican women delegates couldn't understand how I was invited to tour the foundries when no guests are ever allowed to tour. They had never been allowed inside.'' In fact, says Mrs. Swan, she was "totally spoiled'' from the time she set foot on Mexican soil and was presented with red roses.

"I was hosted by the Torrean tourism board, so everything was laid on, and every time I went to pay for something, somebody was by side paying for it instead.'' Escorted by its chief environmental officer, Mrs. Swan was impressed to learn that the Penolis foundries are also good neighbours and citizens.

"They have clinics set up to measure the children's lead content very, very often because the ore that comes in is heavy with lead,'' she related. "They also sweep the air all the time to reduce pollution, and they go into homes surrounding the foundry and vacuum them to monitor the level of pollution, so those people don't have to do any housework at all!'' Which could mean the womenfolk will have more time to take Mrs. Swan's message to heart that "A woman's place is in the House ... of Parliament.'' A different drummer: Yvette Swan, whose hobby is percussion, makes music with a mariachi band. The session was just one of many new adventures the past world president enjoyed at the International Federation of Business & Professional Women's convention in Torrean, Mexico.

Movers and shakers: Guest speaker Yvette Swan (front row, left) joins world president Dr. Pat Harrison (back row, third from left) and officers of the Mexican branch of the International Federation of Business & Professional Women at their banquet in Torrean, Mexico. Mrs. Swan was invited to address the gathering on the topic, Women in Politics.