Biography
Virginia Albert Poyotte was born in Plateau, Babonneau where she attended primary school. She taught at the Babonneau and the Laguerre Primary Schools from 1971 to 1988 and served as principal of the Fond Assau Combined School from 1988 to 2005.
Virginia has headed many organizations in Babonneau namely: Social and Cultural Club, Babonneau Day Committee, Development Committee, Young Farmers Club, Mothers’ and Fathers’ Central Committee, Multi- Purpose Centre Management Committee. She is presently the chairperson of the Plateau Development Committee.
Virginia is a long-standing member of the Saint Lucia Teachers’ Union (SLTU), serving as President for six (6) years. She also served as Vice President, Chairperson of the Status of Women’s Committee and General Secretary of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT). She worked as Regional Coordinator for Education International (EI) in building the capacity of thirty (30) teacher unions in North America and Caribbean.
Virginia is an advocate for social justice, human and trade union rights, quality education, gender equality and equity. She is currently the president of the National Council of Voluntary Women’s Organization and the Caribbean Association of Women (CARIWA).
Virginia has been an active member of the SLP for over twenty years and served as Vice Chairman and member of the Executive and General Council. She has worked with all SLP candidates in the Babonneau Constituency from 1997 before becoming the SLP endorsed candidate for the Babonneau Constituency.
Virginia pursued continuous education from primary up to university level using the life-long learning modality. She holds a Teacher Training Certificate, a BSc in Educational Administration, an MSc in Training and HRM, an Executive Diploma in School Leadership, a Doctorate in Education (EdD) and a Certificate in Instructional Design and Technology.
Virginia is an activist for basic community facilities and an advocate for better pay and improved working conditions for teachers. She specializes in education policy, gender relations, project planning and management, life-long learning, capacity building and trade unionism. She is a former member of the Teaching Service Commission and boards of various institutions in Saint Lucia.
Virginia is the holder of several awards from the SLTU and CUT. She is a recipient of an OBE from Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace for outstanding service to the community, nation, the Caribbean region and the world. She has one son and is married to Victor Poyotte.