[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 22975-22976] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]A TRIBUTE TO LISA SHOMAN ON HER APPOINTMENT TO FOREIGN MINISTER OF BELIZE ______ HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL of new york in the house of representatives Friday, August 3, 2007 Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Record an opinion editorial published in the New York CaribNews newspaper the week ending July 17, 2007 titled ``Ambassador Lisa Shoman: Belize's First Female Foreign Minister,'' and honor the contributions of Ambassador Shoman to Belize and the rest of Central America and the Caribbean. Ambassador Shoman has been a trailblazer and a pioneer in many different areas. She has often taken the path less traveled, excelled in her chosen field and created opportunities and hope for women in her country. Known to be a vocal advocate of women's issues, she used to conduct free legal clinics for women and has helped draft domestic violence, sexual offenses and sexual harassment legislation for Belize. In 2000, Ambassador Shoman was selected as the first woman to serve as Belize's ambassador to the United States, permanent representative to the OAS and high commissioner to Canada. She proudly represents a country that is a model of racial tolerance and cultural harmony and a beacon of multicultural plurality and while ambassador worked tirelessly to train the people of her nation and educate policy makers about its many virtues. In June 2007, she led the Caribbean ambassadors in a working group with congressional staff to identify and prepare a substantive agenda for the CARICOM Presidents and Prime Minster Summit in Washington, DC, that addressed the core issues in the U.S. and CARICOM bilateral relations. Ambassador Shoman was instrumental in putting this summit together. She clearly articulated the goals of these meetings and insisted that tangible results should be accomplished. She deserves a great share of the credit for a summit regarded by everyone as a great success in achieving a new enhanced framework for consultation and cooperation between the governments of the United States and the CARICOM nations. Since the Summit, the U.S. Secretary of Education is scheduled to travel to the region to provide assistance in expanding tertiary education programs in the CARICOM nations. The Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in response to the concerns expressed by the leaders of CARICOM, held a hearing on that examined the effects criminal deportees are having on Caribbean nations. The administration and senior members of the Committee on Ways and Means have committed to a renewal of the Caribbean Basin Initiative to guarantee special access to the U.S. market for exports from the Caribbean. Ambassador Shoman has been a powerful and effective advocate for the interests of the people in the Caribbean and Latin America. I look forward to continue to work with her in her new capacity as foreign minister of the great country of Belize. [From the CaribNews, July 17, 2007] Ambassador Lisa Shoman Belize's First Female Foreign Minister (By Tony Best) Belmopan.--Lisa Shoman was sworn in as Belize's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, recently at a quiet ceremony at the residence of Governor General Sir Colville Young. The first female Foreign Minister, in her characteristic style, insisted on having her grandmother at her side to hold the bible while she took her oath of office. According to her father, Yasin Shoman, her mother, Hilda Hoy Shoman could not stop the young Lisa from heading out on to the then rough campaign trail in the Cayo district. From the outset, Lisa proved to a shrewd observer with a knack for dealing with difficult people and talking to even the most hostile with a natural ease. She also proved to be one of the best polling agents and counters that an unbiased campaign manager could want. She has never missed a campaign since, serving in Cayo, Freetown, Caribbean Shores, San Pedro and Port Loyola, and on the PUP's National Campaign Committee. According to Lisa Shoman's family, they always knew she would study law, a natural for this feisty advocate, and she remained fiercely focused on her path, winning scholarship after scholarship; from high school to sixth form to university and doing exceptionally well at CXCs, O and A levels. At 24, Shoman returned to her beloved Belize fresh from law school and went to work at the DPP's office. After her return from doing a Masters Program in Barbados at UWI, Shoman returned to private practice at Young's Law Firm and during the five years she was there, also devoted time to community service, giving talks and lectures to a variety of groups, and serving as the first female president of the Belize Bar Association. She is perhaps best known as a vocal advocate of women's issues, appearing on radio and television programs, conducting free legal clinics for women, working with Women Against Violence (WAV), and helping to draft Domestic Violence, Sexual Offences and Sexual Harassment Legislation. During those years, Shoman worked on children's issues, and served as legal advisor to the Toledo Maya Cultural Council on land rights issues. She also lectured Constitutional and Administrative Law for UWI's Challenge program and the UB Paralegal program. After the 1998 election, Shoman was chosen by the PUP Administration to be the Government of Belize's representative to the Board of Directors of Belize Telecommunications Limited, and was duly elected as Chairman, serving for an eventful two year term, while on her own in private practice, and then going into partnership with Michel Chebat. In July 2000, Prime Minister Musa tapped Shoman to serve as Belize's Ambassador to the United States, as well as Permanent Representative to the OAS, and High Commissioner to Canada, the first woman to be so honored. She has now served for almost seven years, under four Belizean Foreign Ministers and is currently the deputy dean of Ambassadors at the OAS. Shoman has been a member of the Belize-Guatemala negotiating team since her arrival in DC and has been a part of virtually all negotiating meetings under the auspices of the OAS. In a difficult and delicate phase in 2004, she was sent by PM Musa as his Special Envoy to Guatemala for two months, just prior to the publication of the historic Facilitators Report. She has served with three OAS Secretaries General and was able to attain Belize's membership in the Grupo Centro Americano (GRUCA) caucus of ambassadors, thereby gaining for her country the singular honor of being the only country at the OAS to belong to two regional groups, CARICOM and GRUCA. Shoman has served twice as regional coordinator and chair of both groups for the customary six month term. Shoman was given Mexico's highest honor to a foreign Diplomat, in the highest grade-- [[Page 22976]] the Order of the Aztec Eagle. Lisa Shoman also earned the Order of Jose De Marcoleta in the Grade of Grand Cross later that same year from the Republic of Nicaragua. At the OAS, Ambassador Shoman served two 18 month terms as Chair of the Management Board of the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development, and also Vice Chair of the Permanent Council and has chaired several key meetings of the Permanent Council. Ambassador Shoman has been a powerful and effective advocate for the interest of the people of Belize. ____________________