LILAS WIGHT – Former MP
THE LUCKIEST OLD LADY IN THE WORLD
By Clevon Raphael
Independent
February 2, 2001
Page 19
At age 80, she is resisting impassioned pleas by her former constituents to return to the grueling world of electoral politics.
Such is the high esteem the “luckiest old lady in the world”, Lilas Wight, former social worker, former politician, is held by those who know and love her, years after retiring from public life.
During her many selfless years in the public domain, which started in the 1940s, Lilas chalked up several notable firsts including being the first woman to sit in both houses of parliament – the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Because of her rather privileged background Lilas could have chosen to stay in that exclusive world but, as she puts it:
“I entered public life because I just love helping people. I cannot do anything about that. I simply love to help others.”
Lilas was born at 14 Royal Road, San Fernando, the “middle child” of James and Constance McLelland, the union producing seven girls.
After being privately taught at home she attended Holy Name Convent, in Port of Spain, following which she was of to an English boarding school in London, the Notre Dame Convent.
Returning home after five years in the British capital, Lilas worked in the private sector and among positions held was a confidential secretary for 15 years at Trinidad Cement Limited in Claxton Bay.
She found the time to engage in social work through service groups such as the Soroptomist Club and the Girl Guides Movement of which she was the South Commissioner.
Dwelling on the political slice of her public life Lilas, who married insurance executive Arthur Wight in 1941, says the now defunct Democratic Labour Party was formed in her St Joseph Village, San Fernando home, explains:
“After the 1956 elections Ashford Sinanan (now deceased) approached me and asked me if he could use my house for a meeting with other heads of political parties.”
“There were Albert Gomes, Victor Bryan, and they met in my house in St Joseph Village. I think they chose my home because they wanted some place where nobody would be suspicious of what was taking place.”
“I happened to know Ashford, so I said ‘yes, certainly’. When the guests arrived I tried to leave the room but they begged me to stay. So they had tea at my house and they each discussed their political party and that really was the beginning of the Democratic Labour Party.”
“I was not involved right away with the DLP, and as time went on they kept approaching me to fight a seat and I kept saying ‘no, no, that’s not my line.’
“Finally they convinced me to fight the North Eastern seat on the San Fernando Borough Council and I did quite well…I only lost by 36 votes.” (hearty laugh)
What convinced her to enter active politics?
“Being pestered morning, noon and night from Mr. Sinanan to this one, and that one, ‘please, please, please, you are quite well known in San Fernando’ and so on, because I belonged to several groups in the borough.”
“So I eventually ventured forth and, there was no looking back.”
“After the local elections we concentrated on building the party; we formed the women’s arm and then Dr. Capildeo approached me and asked me if I would be a Senator. ‘I kept saying ‘no, no, no,’ and after he asked me maybe a dozen times I said ‘Okay doctor, I would give it a try.’”
After serving the full term in the Upper House Lilas who became a widow in 1972, was asked to contest the Point-a-Pierre seat.
Lilas who has an amazing resemblance to actress Angela Lansbury (Murder She Wrote), recalled last week:
“So I took courage in my hands and fought Pointe-a-Pierre, which I won. And I must admit up to today the constituents keep coming back to me to fight again. I keep laughing with them and say ‘you must be joking…for an old lady… And no, they are very nice. I am still friendly with a lot of them.”
Her gender and ethnicity were never a source of concern in her public endeavours. “That never entered my head. I just knew I liked people; I wanted to do my best. That was all I thought about…and everybody has been so nice to me.”
What was the most memorable event of her public life?
“Of course there was the Black Power uprising and the many rumours. I don’t recall anything personally dramatic, but what I do remember is how polite parliament was. “Today it has become a bacchanal market where member just get on.”
“Each one being more rude to the other one and it makes me think of the past Speaker Arnold Thomasos, and the past President of the Senate, Hamilton Maurice, under who I had the honour of serving, must be somersaulting in their graves over the behaviour that goes on.”
“There is really no role model for the youth of the country in the parliament. They cannot go and look on and say ‘well, that’s a role model; his politeness, his decency in the way he addresses everybody’ …and that shocks me.”
What’s her political affiliation these days?
Lilas who received a National Award for social service:
“I am still NAR which I joined from the time the party started. For the first time in my life I didn’t vote in the last general elections because my party did not contest in Trinidad.”
“The way I feel about the NAR today is there are still many people of integrity in the party. Many people; Anthony Smart…I like Alloy Lequay, and I am still looking for integrity among a lot of people in the other two main parties. And that is what stalls me because I am a firm believer in integrity and honesty. There is not a lot of that around today.”
What’s her take on the impasse between Prime Minister Panday and President Robinson?
“It depends on how you look at everything in life, uh? Lots of people say the law is an ass, and it can be at times, although my grandfather was a KC (King’s Counsel).”
She is elated over the fact that she is still adored by her former constituents.
“What pleases me most is how many friends I continue to have particularly in the constituency. They still visit me, they still invite me to their homes, their christenings, their weddings…they are still asking me to be a candidate, and I think that is the most marvelous part of my political life.”
Does she miss the excitement of the hustings? “Yes. In a way, but not since I have gotten this old. I find it more satisfying to do nothing with what I want to do. But if I had to do something I think I would like to work on behalf of senior citizens because there is such a lot to be done for them.”
“I have advocated more than once that we need to provide two little steps for them to enter the buses, or for doctors to have their offices on the ground floor because many of them cannot climb the steps.”
“Special cashiers in the bank to take care of them and those kinds of things. I am also happy that the old age pension has gone up, but the elderly need help…I see it all the time.
“The present Finance Minister has removed the departure fee for the elderly. But then how many of them are going to benefit? How many old people travel? It is nice for those who travel and I am not saying it is a bad thing. But I think it is a good start and I hope that it is a start in the right direction.”
Today, Lilas is simply enjoying the fruits of her working years and is a permanent guest at the Soroptomist Club of San Fernando Home for Elderly Ladies in Gopaul Lands, Marabella.
What is she up to in these her golden years?
“I follow the news of the world, I look at cable a lot. I don’t do any work. I live in this guesthouse, which is one of the nicest in Trinidad, a lovely staff. When I was president of the club we built this home. I never thought I would be a guest and, I am delighted to be a guest.”
Why?
“Well it is much better than living on your own. You know when you get old you need the support of others when you get sick or whatever, and everybody is so nice here. You know I always say it is the Lord who must have sent me to build this home because I would need it one day.”
“I am quite happy to be quiet and because I have so many friends I consider myself to be the luckiest old lady in the world.”
A survivor of a massive heart attack, Lilas is very much mobile, and collective although she would say with a smile:
“I am happy to say I am 80 years old and I don’t wear glasses. But if you can get somebody to lend me a pair of knees I would be very happy.”