(DNO)A historic moment may be on the horizon for Dominica, as the government’s recommendation for the presidency points towards the possibility of Mrs. Sylvanie Burton becoming not only the nation’s first female president but also its first indigenous head of state.
During a press conference held earlier today, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit disclosed that he had engaged in consultations with Opposition Leader Jesma Paul-Victor regarding his chosen nominee who could succeed His Excellency Charles A. Savarin, D.A.H, whose term concludes on October 1, 2023.
Should the nominee proposed by Skerrit receive agreement from the opposition leader, the procedure would be relatively straightforward, he explained. Skerrit stated that he would then need to formally notify the speaker in writing of the joint nomination. Subsequently, the speaker would convene a parliamentary session in which the nomination would be announced, and the nominee would be declared duly elected without the necessity of a vote.
In the event that a consensus is not reached on the joint nominee, other members of the House of Assembly would have the opportunity to submit their own nominees for the presidential office. An election involving those nominated candidates would then be conducted.
Skerrit outlined that a tentative date of September 12 has been set for the parliamentary session.
“So I am hoping to hear from her before this date so that the speaker can be appropriately informed on whether it is a joint nominee or not. so I will allow for some time for her to form her position as the government nominee,” he said.
“And as I have said to her whether it is yes or no either one is fine but it will always be better to get a joint nominee presented. But that will not hold back the process but certainly I look forward to hearing from her soon so that we can declare a president for Dominica to succeed His Excellency Charles Savarin,” the head of government added.
He went on to declare that Mrs. Burton, 58, from Salybia, Kalinago Territory who has served as Permanent Secretary in various ministries since 2014, is eminently qualified to hold the position of President of the Commonwealth of Dominica and that she will serve the nation with distinction.
She has served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Community Development, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Youth and Social Services, and holds a current position as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Rural Modernization, Kalinago Upliftment, and Constituency Empowerment.
She also previously served as a Development Officer in the Ministry of Kalinago Affairs and held the position of District Development Officer (DDO) for an extended period.
The mother of two brings 25 years of experience as a Justice of the Peace and has dedicated over two decades as a Lay Associate in the Roman Catholic Church. Mrs. Burton’s educational background includes a master’s degree in Project Management and a bachelor’s degree in Rural Development.
