- Contributed
Her citation reads: "Charliana Alexander has acquitted herself very well in the once male-dominated profession of her choice and we are proud to recognise (her) as the first female member of our institute."

Avia Ustanny, Outlook Writer

At the age of 78, Charliana was still a practising accountant. The first female chartered accountant in Jamaica, today she is still registered as a member of the Institute of Chartered accountants even though she is no longer practices actively.

In 2005, she was recognised for her path-breaking role and for 47 years of membership by the Chartered Accountants Association of Jamaica.

Her citation read, "Charliana Alexander has acquitted herself very well in the once male-dominated profession of her choice and we are proud to recognise (her) as the first female member of our institute."

Charliana was born in Bellasgate, St. Catherine, to parents Mortimer and Tamar Golding who were shopkeepers. She was sent to St. Andrew Technical High School and on leaving school, she walked into the Government Savings Bank (the former Workers Bank) and persuaded the manager to employ her, despite the fact that the bank, at the time, was not employing women. Based on her outstanding performance, she was asked to recommend any other female for employment, which gradually increased the presence of women in the workforce.

London

Charliana loved figures and enrolled at the University of the West Indies Extra Mural Department to obtain the necessary qualification. She was also encouraged by her older brother, Prince Golding, to pursue studies in accounting in London and soon left to do so. In London, Charliana met Cecil Alexander, got married and had three of her sons before completing her studies.

Her son, Reuel Alexander recently told Outlook that his mother, "always had a very analytical mindset - even to this day. She also had a love for figures."

In London, she worked while pursuing evening studies in accounting. While doing the ACCA examinations, she was employed to Sherman, Apple and Co. (Chartered Accountants) and later, George Little, Sebire and Co. (Chartered Accountants), where she gained extensive audit and accountancy experience. She sat and successfully completed the ACCA final examinations in 1959.

The couple were back in Jamaica by 1962.

"My mother always felt that Jamaica was her home," Reuel Alexander states. "As soon as she qualified, she started making plans and in fact came back before her husband."

Charliana Alexander worked with the Ministry of the Health and then with Redimix, a part of the Matalon group of companies.

At Redimix, she came under the mentorship of George Cook who guided her career until she became financial controller for the entire ICD-Matalon group.

"She has never really considered anything as challenging, it was just a matter of doing what came naturally. Because she has a principle of not comparing herself to others, it was a matter of doing what she had to do," her son says on her behalf.

Charliana remained with the ICD Group for 20 years - moving through its subsidiaries - from the post of office manager/accountant to financial controller and eventually, to financial director.

Four sons

While managing a growing career, Mrs. Alexander was also grooming four sons at home.

Her children are Paul, who is now a teacher at Wolmer's High School for girls; Reuel - a company director; Maurice, who works in the financial sector and Nigel, who is the youngest at 40 and works in the agricultural sector.

"Now that I am a parent, I have high praise for my mother," Reuel Alexander states.

"There was never anything that we could not do in terms of educational development, but she would also pay for piano lessons. Even though that son gave up piano after four months she never chastised him. Guitar, karate ... she never once hesitated."

Core values learnt at their mother's knee, Reuel said were "anything is achievable once you put your mind to it'.

Clubs

She also helped them, he said, with the ability to get on with other people.

"We were encouraged to join clubs. One of her things is that life is an experience that one should live to one's fullest."

In 1983, Charliana Alexander requested early retirement and left the ICD Group to become a partner in the firm of Smith, Kentish & Co., where she remained until 1990.

Charliana, was sole practitioner until shortly after her birthday on December 2005. She is now grandparent to four grandchildren.

Her son says: "She is not a person who seeks attention. She just quietly gets on with doing what she wants to do. If there's a problem - you will not know that she is thinking about it. When it is solved, she will mention it."

In her children's eyes and that of many others, she is a woman to be much admired.