In a groundbreaking development for regional water management, the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA) has achieved a historic milestone with Candice Santana and Laurayne Lucky assuming simultaneous leadership as president and executive director respectively. This marks the first time since the organization’s establishment in 1991 that both top positions are held by women, signaling a transformative shift in governance approaches to the region’s pressing water and sanitation challenges.
The significance of this leadership transition was highlighted during the CWWA’s 21st Higher Level Forum in Belize, where ministers and utility heads from across the Dutch, Spanish, English, and French Caribbean convened. Santana notably pointed out the persistent gender imbalance at senior levels, observing that only two women were present among the region’s top water management officials.
Both leaders bring substantial credentials to their roles, with Santana, 39, having joined the CWWA board in 2016 and serving six years before her 2024 presidential election, while Lucky, 44, oversees the association’s secretariat operations. Their appointments represent not merely symbolic progress but substantive expertise gained through decades of professional and academic preparation.
Santana emphasizes the importance of merit-based advancement rather than token appointments to fulfill diversity quotas. ‘Do not put me in the ring to just tick a box, especially if you don’t really want to hear what I have to say,’ she asserts, reflecting on her experiences as a young woman facing dual categorization for both age and gender representation.
The new president also addresses the challenge of unsolicited advice frequently directed at young female leaders, advocating for strategic discernment amid external opinions. ‘You need to sit back from all the advice and use your discernment… bring your innovation to the table and understand the best direction for the organization,’ she advises.
Lucky echoes these sentiments, acknowledging the particular challenges women face in the STEM-focused water and sanitation sector while emphasizing the field’s inherent difficulties for all professionals. Their leadership partnership aims to model substantive gender inclusion while addressing the Caribbean’s critical water infrastructure needs through experienced, qualified guidance rather than symbolic representation.