- Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
Gretel Lawrence, chief Hansard writer in Gordon House, will retire as of the end of September.
Avia Ustanny, Gleaner Writer
GRETEL LAWRENCE has been chief Hansard writer in the House of Parliament for the last 14 years. Come the end of this month, however, she will rest her fingers as she goes on early retirement.
"I was sent to manage the pool here, " Mrs. Lawrence recalls.
She smiles, because the pool comprised only one other writer. With her persistence, however, the number on staff has grown to 14. She feels that she has accomplished much and is fully deserving of her rest.
Gretel's look is that of a retiring matronly woman. However, truth us there is nothing quiet about this woman. Her oft expressed sense of humour frequently leaves the unwary gasping or scratching their head.
Co-worker Jennifer Pinnock, Hansard writer who has been with her for the last 12 years, says Mrs. Lawrence "is witty, jolly... so pleasant. There is not a dull moment around her."
She is not merely the joker in the pack, however. Mrs. Lawrence, a divorcee, has raised daughter Bridgette to be an environmental engineer, doing it all on her own and by dint of very hard work, starting from early in her 20s.
Gretel was born in Westmoreland, but made her way to Kingston to attend college and then, in 1968 she entered public service at the then Agricultural Board.
She moved on after two years to the Government Staff College to study verbatim reporting, the field in which she was to make her lifelong career. In 1986, she was transferred from the Services Commission to Parliament as Chief Hansard reporter.
And there she stayed. In Parliament she has enjoyed most, from year to year, the budget and sectoral debates which follow the ceremonial opening.
Busiest time
It is the busiest time of year and yet the most interesting.
The most interesting times, however, was the period of the Independent Senate from 1983 when the level of debate reached such a height that one could attend Parliament every time it was in session with the expectation of learning something new, recalls Mrs. Lawrence.
"Parliament as a whole is a learning experience," she says.
It is hard work too. There is no one who works in the reporting team who escapes working overtime. Whether the house adjourns at 6 p.m., or 1 p.m., they have to be prepared to stay back.
The overtime work was something she found very useful, Lawrence said, as it assisted her in paying for her daughter's education to the level of a Master's degree, without the help of Student Loan. She was also able to purchase a home in Barbican.
As a verbatim reporter, she was also able to freelance. "I refused other jobs because of the flexibility," she said, alluding to her job and its benefits.
In the 14 years in which she has worked at Gordon House, Lawrence says that the volume of work increased significantly. There were more members, more committees, longer sittings. "You do not have the space to put the writers which are needed. The debates are also longer," she says.
Today there are nine writers and four proof-readers, including the team which does Hansard reporting for posterity.
Meanwhile, Gretel was assisted in child rearing by a series of reliable helpers at home. She did not believe in nurseries, she said. She was also able to escape from work to pick up her daughter and take her home from school.
Lawrence says that she has enjoyed her time in Parliament, but is eager to spend more time working with her church and travelling to countries to which she has not yet been.
Travel
Her job has offered her several opportunities for travel. In 1997, she was a member of the delegation to the World Congress of Civil servants in Japan. In 2002 she was also present in Ottawa. Mrs. Lawrence has also attended regional conference in Panama and St. Lucia.
In spite of the pace set by her job, she still found time for a variety of extracurricular activities.
She is currently president of the largest group of Optimists locally, the Kingston Optimists with whom she has also made her mark in charitable work.
At church, she is a member of the Women's Auxiliary, the Altar Guild and is also on the management committee of the Home for the Aged. She is also currently the National Secretary of the Women's auxiliary of the Anglican diocese which has over 30 branches islandwide.
She will do more of this when she has left the House.
She is ready for her second career that of helping out where working hands are needed.
