Yvette Victoria Angela Swan (20 August 1945 – 18 April 2021) was a Bermudian senator for the

United Bermuda Party The United Bermuda Party (UBP) was a political party in Bermuda, which represented itself as centrist party with a moderate social and fiscal agenda. The party held power in Bermuda's House of Assembly continuously from 1968 to 1998, the 47-year ...

optician An optician, or ''dispensing optician'', is a technical practitioner who designs, fits and dispenses lenses for the correction of a person's vision. Opticians determine the specifications of various ophthalmic appliances that will give the nec ...

, and pastor, as well as president of

International Federation of Business and Professional Women International Federation of Business and Professional Women (or BPW International) is a worldwide organization committed to networking among and empowering women worldwide. BPW International serves as a forum for professional business women with b ...

and Project 5-0.

Biography

Born in

Saint Thomas Parish, Jamaica Saint Thomas, once known as ''Saint Thomas in the East'', is a suburban parish situated at the south eastern end of Jamaica, within the county of Surrey. It is the birthplace of the Right Honourable Paul Bogle, designated in 1969 as one of Jama ...

to two schoolteachers, she went to study at Paddington Technical College in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and

Aston University Aston University (abbreviated as ''Aston''. for post-nominals) is a public research university situated in the city centre of Birmingham, England. Aston began as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School in 1895, evolving into the UK's first c ...

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

, studying

optometry Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive primary eye care. In the Uni ...

. Swan would then move to Bermuda with her husband Malcolm, working there as an optometrist. She was appointed as a senator for the United Bermuda Party in 1993, having been a campaigner for the party in

Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...

West, she was later made Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs in 1995. She would also serve as Minister for Women's Issues, and addressed the

United Nations Commission on the Status of Women The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW or UNCSW) is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the main UN organs within the United Nations. CSW has been described as the UN organ promoting gend ...

. She made two bids for the

House of Assembly House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level. Historically, in British Crown colonies as the colony gained more internal responsible governme ...

, one in 1998, running in Warwick West with Quinton Edness, the other in 2003, in Warwick North Central, both bids were unsuccessful. She was also president of the

, and Project 5-0. Swan would later move to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, studying Theology and earning her Masters in Divinity at the

Atlantic School of Theology Atlantic School of Theology (AST) is a Canadian public ecumenical university that provides graduate level theological education and undertakes research to assist students to prepare for Christian ministries and other forms of public leadership. ...

. She would go on the become a minister at St. Paul's United Church, in

Riverview, New Brunswick Riverview is a town in Albert County, New Brunswick, Canada. Riverview is located on the south side of the Petitcodiac River, across from the larger cities of Moncton and Dieppe. Riverview has an area of , and a population density of . Rivervie ...

, and in 2015 was ordained by the Maritime Conference. Swan spent the last seven years of her life serving the Nashwaak Pastoral Charge. Bermudian

Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...

Cole Simons, a member of the

One Bermuda Alliance The One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) is one of two political parties in Bermuda with elected members of the Bermuda's legislative assembly. It was created in May 2011 by the merger of most members of Bermuda's two non-Labour parties, the United Bermuda ...

which formed as a merger between the United Bermuda Party and the

Bermuda Democratic Alliance The Bermuda Democratic Alliance (BDA) was a political party in Bermuda which lasted from its foundation in November 2009 until its merger into the One Bermuda Alliance in May 2011. History The BDA was founded on 5 November 2009, by six defecti ...

, described Swan as "a woman of great passion and dedication, who served tirelessly at various levels of society".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swan, Yvette 1945 births 2021 deaths Members of the Senate of Bermuda People from Saint Thomas Parish, Jamaica United Bermuda Party politicians Opticians Bermudian women in politics