List of presidents of Dominica

Not to be confused with President of the Dominican Republic.

President of the Commonwealth of Dominica
Flag of the president of Dominica
Incumbent Sylvanie Burton since 2 October 2023
Residence	Government House in Roseau
Term length	Five years [1] renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Dominica
Inaugural holder	Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue
Formation	November 3, 1978 (46 years ago) (1978-11-03)
Salary	91,000 XCD annually [2]
Website	http://presidentoffice.gov.dm/

Government House in Roseau, the residence of the president of Dominica

The President of Dominica is the head of state under the system implemented by the Constitution of 1978, the year of Dominica's independence. ^[3]

Unlike other former British colonies in the region, Dominica did not retain Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a Governor-General, as head of state, on its independence, instead electing to become a parliamentary republic with a President as ceremonial head of state, a compromise between the governing Dominica Labour Party, which favoured retaining the monarchy, and the opposition Dominica Freedom Party, which favoured a republic with an executive presidency. ^{[4] [5]}

The current president is Sylvanie Burton, since 2 October 2023.

List of officeholders

Source: ^[6]

Political parties and other affiliations

   Independent

   Dominica Labour Party (DLP)

Status

  Denotes interim or acting president

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
—		Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue (1905–1993)	—	3 November 1978	16 January 1979	74 days	Independent
1		Fred Degazon (1913–2008) [a]	1978	16 January 1979	29 January 1980	1 year, 13 days	Independent
—		Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue (1905–1993) [b]	—	15 June 1979	16 June 1979	1 day	Independent
—		Jenner B. M. Armour (1932–2001) [7] [c]	—	21 June 1979	25 February 1980	249 days	Independent
2		Aurelius Marie (1904–1995)	1980 [8]	25 February 1980	19 December 1983	3 years, 297 days	Independent
3		Clarence Seignoret (1919–2002) [d]	1983 1988	19 December 1983	25 October 1993	9 years, 310 days	Independent
4		Crispin Sorhaindo (1931–2010)	1993	25 October 1993	5 October 1998	4 years, 345 days	Independent
5		Vernon Shaw (1930–2013)	1998	6 October 1998	1 October 2003	4 years, 360 days	Independent
6		Nicholas Liverpool (1934–2015)	2003 2008	1 October 2003	17 September 2012	8 years, 352 days	Independent
7		Eliud Williams (born 1948)	2012	17 September 2012	2 October 2013	1 year, 15 days	DLP
8		Charles Savarin (born 1943)	2013 2018	2 October 2013	2 October 2023	10 years	DLP
9		Sylvanie Burton (born 1965)	2023	2 October 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 350 days	DLP

See also

• List of colonial governors and administrators of Dominica
• List of heads of government of Dominica
• Lists of office-holders

Notes

1. Left Dominica on 11 June 1979.
2. Acting for Degazon.
3. Acting for Degazon until 29 January 1980.
4. Sir Clarence Seignoret from 25 October 1985.

References

1. "Establishment of Office - Office of the President". presidentoffice.gov.dm. Archived from the original on 2022-07-03. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
2. Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica (13 October 2008). "PRESIDENT'S EMOLUMENTS AND CONDITIONS OF OFFICE (AMENDMENT) ACT 8" (PDF). www.dominica.gov.dm.
3. Lawrence, Alick C., The Constitution, The Government & You: An introduction to the Constitution and Governance of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Pont Casse Press, pp. 37–38, ISBN   0-9737347-5-2
4. Commonwealth Caribbean Constitutional Law, Routledge, 2013, page 198]
5. Surrogates for the Sovereign: Constitutional Heads of State in the Commonwealth, David Butler, Springer, 1991, page 173
6. "Administering Officers - Office of the President". presidentoffice.gov.dm.
7. "Index Ar-As". www.rulers.org.
8. "Dominica elects president". El Paso Herald-Post . 26 February 1980. p. 2. Retrieved 17 September 2025– via Newspapers.com.

External links

• Official site of the President's Office, Commonwealth of Dominica
• World Statesmen - Dominica