Government of Dominica

PM SKERRIT NAMES MRS. SYLVANIE BURTON AS PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE

 

Government has nominated Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment and Kalinago Upliftment Mrs. Sylvanie Burton as its candidate for President of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Prime Minister the Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit made the announcement at a news conference on Wednesday, August 30th 2023.

“According to section 19 of the constitution of the commonwealth of Dominica, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition are required to, within ninety days before the term of office for the President expires, consult with a view to agree upon a joint qualified nominee as a suitable candidate for election as President. In the event a nominee is agreed upon, the process is straight forward and the Prime Minister is required to notify the Speaker in writing of the joint nomination. The Speaker must then summon a sitting of the House at which he must notify the house of the nomination and declare the nominee duly elected without requiring a vote,” PM Skerrit stated.

In the event that the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition are unable to agree on a joint nominee other members of the house of assembly are permitted to submit nominees for election to the office of president and an election comprising those nominees will take place.

“In keeping with these requirements set out in the law, I am pleased to announce that in my capacity of Prime Minister, I have consulted with the Leader of the Opposition Hon. Jesma Paul on my nominee for the Office of President of the Commonwealth of Dominica. I wish to inform the country that I have nominated Mrs. Sylvanie Burton as the candidate for the election of President of the Commonwealth of Dominica. Mrs. Burton, who is 58 years of age, is from Salybia the Kalinago Territory and has served as Permanent Secretary in various Ministries since 2014. She was Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Community Development, Foreign Affairs, Youth Development, Social Services, and Trade and is currently the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment, Rural Modernization, Kalinago Upliftment and Constituency Empowerment. Mrs. Burton is a former Development Officer in the Ministry of Kalinago Affairs and was a District Development Officer for many years. She has been a Justice of the Peace for 25 years and has served as Le Associate in the Roman Catholic Church for over 20 years,” the Prime Minister announced.

Mrs. Burton holds a Master’s Degree in Project Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Rural Development. She is married with two children and resides in the Kalinago Territory. 

“I wish to congratulate Mrs. Burton. First female president and first indigenous president in Dominica,: PM Skerrit added. 

His Excellency President Charles Angelo Savarin is expected to demit office as president of the Commonwealth of Dominica on October1, 2023.

 

 

 

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