Dame Louise Agnetha Lake-Tack (born 26 July 1944) is a former

Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda The governor-general of Antigua and Barbuda is the representative of the monarch of Antigua and Barbuda, currently King Charles III. The official residence of the governor-general is Government House. The position of governor-general was est ...

. She was the first woman to hold the office.

Background and earlier career

Louise Lake-Tack was born in St Philip Parish,

Antigua Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...

in 1944. She was educated at Freetown Government School before attending the Antigua Girls High School in St. John's. After graduating she emigrated to the United Kingdom where she studied nursing at

Charing Cross Hospital Charing Cross Hospital is an acute general teaching hospital located in Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom. The present hospital was opened in 1973, although it was originally established in 1818, approximately five miles east, in central Lond ...

. Following the completion of her studies, she worked first at the National Heart Hospital and later at the Harley Street Clinic. Lake-Tack later studied and graduated in law and subsequently served as a magistrate at both Marylebone and Horseferry Magistrate Courts. She also sat at Pocock Street Crown Court and Middlesex Crown Court to hear appeal cases from the lower courts. She served as a member of the Antigua and Barbuda National Association (London) for the 24 years preceding her appointment as Governor-General.

Personal life

Lake-Tack is a widow and has two children.

Governor-General

She took office as Governor-General of

Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda (, ) is a sovereign country in the West Indies. It lies at the juncture of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles, at 17°N latitude. The country consists of two maj ...

on 17 July 2007. She was the first woman to hold the office. On 14 August 2014, she was replaced by Sir Rodney Williams, who took office as the 4th Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda.

Controversy

Shortly before Dame Louise Lake-Tack retired from office, she under the powers of her office conferred certain national honours of Antigua and Barbuda on 19 people, including a knighthood on her own son and a medal for her gardener. These appointments were condemned as unlawful by the newly elected prime minister. The Governor-General derives powers under Section 22 of the national Constitution and acts as the Queen's representative with prerogative powers. The Governor-General is independent of the Prime Minister. In making the honours, the Governor-General claimed that she acted under the prerogative powers. Further, the 2000 National Honours Act provided statutory authority for her independent nominations for the awards and that Knighthoods can only be taken away by degradation warrant if the recipient acts in such a manner to bring the honour into disrepute. Dame Louise publicly explained the reasons for the honours; maintaining that the individuals whom she awarded had been invaluable to the office of Governor-General and consequently awarded.

Honours

On 16 October Lake-Tack was invested as Dame of the Venerable Order of St. John (DStJ), and on 13 November 2007 appointed as Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG).

References

External links

Official Government Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lake-Tack, Louise 1944 births Antigua and Barbuda emigrants to England Antigua and Barbuda judges Antigua and Barbuda women in politics Dames Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Dames of the Order of St John Governors-General of Antigua and Barbuda Living people People from Saint Philip Parish, Antigua 20th-century judges 21st-century women politicians