Dessima Williams: We were reading your biography -- I don't know if it's authorized -- by Hickey, and in it, and in my own research, it seems that you were raised by pretty expectant parents. And you fought as an attourney, and [for the] legal and constitutional rights of Dominica. My question is, you know, what aspects of your background do you think best prepared you to lead government?

Eugenia Charles: Well, first of all, my father was a parlimentarian before me, not in the same system that I entered into... But I learned from him that it's important to listen to other people, that yo are always to listen in your own head; that you have tohear, and understand, what other people are thinking and doing, so that you can formulate ideas, and plans to push the ideas forward. Because it's not your ideas that count, it's the ideas of the general public and the persons living in the country. The citizens have a right to form their country, and so you have to listen to them to hear what they have to say. You don't always accept everything, but you have to listen and you have to be able to explain to them why you don't take certain decisions. Because they are better for them, to take another decision.

DW: Well, in that sense, is it a common trait in a successful politician; one who listens?

EC: Mmmhmm.

DW: As opposed to the trait of...

EC: Someone who thinks he knows everything.

DW: Yes.

EC: You don't know everything, really. Because you're really only running the country for the benefit of the people who live in the country. So if you don't know what their ideas are, how can you form ideas, or form plans for them?

DW: Right.

EC: I think you must listen to what they have to say. You don't always accept everything they have to say, but you have to be willing to discuss it and then tell them why you're taking a different point of view, and where you think it'll lead, you know?

DW: Do you find that because you listened more than others, because you were a female, that that was seen as a sign of weakness, or... or, um... whereas with your father, who was also a listener, was it seen as a sign of respect? Or there was really...

EC: No. And also, one of the things that I think helped me to formulate ideas, and to put plans forward, was because at home, we were allowed, as children, to express our views. You know, one of the things that I think, that helped a lot in the way we were brought up; we always sat together for meals, parents and children. And you were... there was no silence at the table; everyone giving their point of view. You didn't always agree with what your father thought was the right thing, but you were not prevented from stating what your opinions were. And you listened to other people's opinions. And the other thoughts brushed off on yours, and made you pause, sometime change your mind, and take a different point of view. And I think that was important -- that you had this circle of people around you, each of them expressing a point of view. And nobody thinking that you were too stupid, or a child -- you had the right to talk. You were given as much freedom to talk and to express your point of view as if you were a grown-up.

DW: What difference does it make when we have women in office?

EC: I think that women are apt to discuss with people more. Women don't seem to think they have all the ideas; they're always wanting to talk to other people, with the people themselves. Because I think that if you are leading government, you are really being a mouthpiece for the other people in the community. And I think that women are more apt to listen to what other people say, to make them come out with the ideas, so you can form opinions that suit everybody, and everybody is accustomed to want to take part in.

Note: This transcript represents Michael Cohen's best effort at accuracy, based on repeated viewings of the source tapes. Transcripts should not, however, be assumed to correspond perfectly with the oral statements they reflect. All statements are subject to interpretation and human error in understanding.

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