So nothing, absolutely nothing, will stand in my way of advocacy to ensure that women have an equal seat at the table,” said Castries South East MP and Minister for Agriculture, Lisa Jawahir on Monday.

Jawahir has sought to push back against questions about her competence to lead the Ministry of Agriculture, arguing that similar scrutiny would not be directed at her if she were a man.

Jawahir was responding to a question from a reporter during the September 14 pre-Cabinet press briefing about her appointment to the agriculture portfolio and the progress she has made since taking office.

The Minister suggested that gender expectations continue to influence perceptions of who is considered suitable to lead the agricultural sector.

“My response being the fact that I grew up in agriculture. I'm surrounded by it. It sent me to school.”

Jawahir said she believed the question reflected an expectation that agriculture is principally a man's domain.

“I don't think we'd be asking men that question because there's the expectation that agriculture is a man's job,” she said.

Her appointment to the portfolio has attracted criticism in some quarters, particularly from political opponents who have questioned whether she is suited to the role.

Jawahir said her appointment should also be viewed against the broader participation of women in political leadership across the Caribbean.

“Mia Mottley, somebody that we look up to and say she's one of the best prime ministerial orators, she appointed a female Minister for Agriculture,” she said.

“So when Philip J. Pierre did it before, it's a problem, right?”

Jawahir is the first woman to hold the Agriculture, alongside Fisheries, Food Security and Climate Change.

She also pointed to her electoral record as evidence that voters had confidence in her leadership.

“I am not here to prove to one or two talk show hosts that I'm worthy of being here,” Jawahir said.

“I have about 19,000, 18,000 people in my constituency and a majority voted for me. They believe in my competence.”

In the December 2025 general election, Jawahir secured 4,299 votes in Castries South East, defeating United Workers Party candidate Guy Joseph, who received 3,187 votes. The official electoral results show Jawahir winning 57.43 per cent of the valid votes in the constituency.

Jawahir also referenced the criticism faced by other young politicians when they first entered political life.

She recalled the 2021 campaign of Education Minister Kenson Casimir in Gros Islet, saying similar doubts had been raised about his age and ability to succeed.

“And it's no secret that I was part of the Gros Islet campaign 2021. I remember they said he could not do it. They said he's too young,” she said.

“He was 36, 37 at the time. It was the same age that Mario Michel entered politics. It was the same age that Lenard ‘Spider’ Montoute entered politics. And it was the same age that Philip J Pierre entered politics. And Philip J Pierre is the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia right now.”

Jawahir said the focus should instead be on encouraging young people to participate in public life and giving them opportunities to contribute.

“So let us continue to give hope to our young people. Let us continue to encourage them,” she said.

She also outlined her vision for modernising agriculture, particularly by encouraging younger people to see the sector as one that extends beyond traditional farming.

“I am particularly looking forward to working with young people who sometimes believe that the traditional agriculture is just dying as a result of tradition and hard work,” Jawahir said.

She wants young people to see technology and innovation as part of the future of agriculture.

“And to really show them that it is sexy. You can use innovation. You can use technology. You can operate a drone. You can be a cameraman in the agricultural business,” she said.

For Jawahir, modern agriculture must therefore bring together traditional knowledge, technology and the interests of younger generations.

She argued that food production is also one area in which Saint Lucia can exercise greater control, particularly during periods of international disruption.

“And despite what everybody has said, it is the one thing that we have control over,” she said.

“When our borders were closed, we did not have control over a sector that contributed to almost 70 percent of our GDP. But we have control over our food security.”

Jawahir also used the press briefing to address what she described as the wider gendered scrutiny faced by women in public life.

“I think it is so sad that this narrative is constantly being pushed because I have young women who meet me every day and say, I want to go into politics, I want to do that,” she said.

“But me, look at the way they're talking about you. They talk about your personal relationship. You have your hair straight. They say you don't have makeup today. You cut your hair. That's a topic.”

She pointed to her academic qualifications and electoral success as evidence of her ability to operate in public life.

Jawahir said she intends to continue serving both her constituents and the wider country despite the political criticism surrounding her appointment.