Roosevelt Skerrit

Last updated
Melissa Poponne
​
(m. 2013)​
Roosevelt Skerrit
Swearing in of His Excellency Charles A Savarin, DAH, President of the Commonwealth of Dominica (31312241638).jpg
Skerrit in 2014
6th Prime Minister of Dominica
Assumed office
8 January 2004
Children3
Alma mater New Mexico State University,
Las Cruces
University of Mississippi,
Oxford
Website Official website

Roosevelt Skerrit (born 8 June 1972) is a Dominican politician who has been Prime Minister of Dominica since 2004; he has also been the Member of Parliament for the Vieille Case constituency since 2000. Regionally, he has served as the chairman of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and most recently as chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in 2010. Skerrit is currently the longest-serving prime minister of Dominica.

Contents

Prime Minister

Roosevelt Skerrit, also known as "Roozey" by some of his closest family and friends, became Prime Minister after the death of Pierre Charles in January 2004. At the time of Pierre Charles’ death, Skerrit was Member of Parliament for the Vieille Case constituency, a position he had held since his election in February 2000. In addition to being the Prime Minister, he has also served as Minister for Finance [3] since 2004, Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, and Minister for Foreign Affairs and is the political leader of the Dominica Labor Party.

Upon taking office Skerrit became the world's youngest head of government, surpassing Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. With his party's May 2005 election victory, Skerrit became the world's first democratically elected national leader born in the 1970s. As of December 2010 Skerrit remained the youngest head of government in the Western Hemisphere and the third youngest in the world, surpassed only by Madagascar's Andry Rajoelina and Montenegro's Igor Lukšić. [4] [5]

In 2015, the Chinese billionaire Ng Lap Seng was arrested by the FBI. This was due to an ongoing UN bribery investigation. Skerrit was photographed with Ng shortly before the arrest. The Wall Street Journal stated that Ng told associates that he helped persuade Dominica to switch diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan. [6] The opposition party scrutinized Skerrit on the matter. Skerrit informed them that the FBI was not interested in him. [7]

A 2019, an Al Jazeera investigation alleged that Skerrit had been receiving money in exchange for diplomatic passports and ambassadorships. [8]

The current Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit RooseveltSkerrit.jpg
The current Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit

In December 2019, Skerrit won his fourth consecutive general election eighteen seats to three, becoming the first Dominica Prime Minister ever to do so. [9]

On 1 July 2023. Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit assumed the chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). [10] He also chaired the meeting of the countries under the CARICOM and asked for the innovative ways to strengthen the region. [11] [12]

After the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, Skerrit called for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war. [13]

Related Research Articles

The first written records in the history of Dominica began in November 1493, when Christopher Columbus spotted the island. Prior to European contact, Dominica was inhabited by the Arawak. Dominica was a French colony from 1715 until the end of the Seven Years' War in 1763, and then became a British colony from 1763 to 1978. It became an independent nation in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Gonsalves</span> Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (since 2001)

Ralph Everard Gonsalves is a Vincentian politician. He is currently the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the leader of the Unity Labour Party (ULP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Workers' Party (Dominica)</span> Political party in Dominica

The United Workers' Party is a centrist political party in Dominica. As of the 2022 general election, the party is not represented in the House of Assembly of Dominica, after boycotting the general election. The past Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly is Lennox Linton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Savarin</span> President of Dominica (2013–2023)

Charles Angelo Savarin, DAH is a politician from Dominica who served as President of Dominica from 2013 to 2023. He is a member of the Dominica Labour Party and served for a time as Minister for National Security, Immigration, Labour and the Public Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Assembly of Dominica</span> Legislature of Dominica

The House of Assembly is the legislature of Dominica. It is established by Chapter III of the Constitution of Dominica, and together with the President of Dominica constitutes Dominica's Parliament. The House is unicameral, and consists of twenty-one Representatives, nine senators, and the Attorney General as an ex officio member. The Speaker of the House becomes the thirty-second member if chosen from outside the membership of the House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Dominican general election</span>

General elections were held in Dominica on 5 May 2005. The result was a victory for the ruling Dominica Labour Party, which won 12 of the 21 seats in the House of Assembly. The opposition United Workers' Party unsuccessfully made legal challenges to several of the constituency results.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominica</span> Island country in the Caribbean

Dominica officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically situated as part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. Dominica's closest neighbours are two constituent territories of the European Union, the overseas departments of France, Guadeloupe to the northwest and Martinique to the south-southeast. Dominica comprises a land area of 750 km2 (290 sq mi), and the highest point is Morne Diablotins, at 1,447 m (4,747 ft) in elevation. Its population was 71,293 at the 2011 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of Dominica</span>

The Cabinet of Dominica is appointed by the President of Dominica acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister of Dominica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaston Browne</span> Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda since 2014

Gaston Alfonso Browne is an Antiguan politician serving as the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda and leader of the Labour Party since 2014. Before entering politics, he was a banker and businessman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani</span> Prime minister of Qatar (2023–present)

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is a Qatari diplomat, economist, and politician who has been serving as the Prime Minister of Qatar since 7 March 2023 and Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2016. He has also been serving as Chairman of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) since 2014, and is a member of Qatar's Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investments (SCEAI) since 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominica–India relations</span> Bilateral relations

Dominica–India relations refers to the international relations that exist between Dominica and India, both republics in the Commonwealth of Nations. The High Commission of India in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago is concurrently accredited to Dominica. Neither country hosts a resident diplomatic mission of the other.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominica citizenship by investment programme</span>

The Commonwealth of Dominica has been operating a citizenship by investment programme since 1993, making it the second Caribbean island-nation to launch one such programme – having been preceded by the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Dominican general election</span>

General elections were held in Dominica on 6 December 2019. The elections were constitutionally due by March 2020, but had been widely expected to take place before the end of 2019. The result was a landslide victory for the ruling Dominica Labour Party, which won 18 of the 21 elected seats, gaining three seats. With the DLP winning a fifth consecutive election, DLP leader Roosevelt Skerrit remained Prime Minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominica–Mexico relations</span> Bilateral relations

Dominica–Mexico relations are the diplomatic relations between the Commonwealth of Dominica and the United Mexican States. Both nations are members of the Association of Caribbean States, Organization of American States and the United Nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Saint Lucian general election</span>

General elections were held in Saint Lucia on 26 July 2021, having been constitutionally required by 12 October 2021. Voters elected all 17 members of the House of Assembly. The result was a victory for the opposition Saint Lucia Labour Party, which won 13 of the 17 seats in the House, while the ruling United Workers Party lost nine of its eleven seats, its worst result since 1997. It was the fourth consecutive election in which the incumbent government was defeated.

Jacques-Henry Heuls is a French diplomat. He is a permanent diplomat in the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. He had previously served as the French Ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean States, Barbados and the OECS. He served as French ambassador from 2020 till 2022. In 2013, he served as the French ambassador to Uzbekistan till 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Dominican general election</span>

Snap general elections were held in Dominica on 6 December 2022.

Kenneth Melchoir Darroux was a Dominican politician and doctor. He is currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs since 17 December 2019 in Dominica. Prior to his appointment as Foreign Affairs Minister he was the Minister for Health and Social Services in the government of Roosevelt Skerrit. He is a member of the Dominica Labour Party (DLP).

Alwin Anthony Bully was a Dominican cultural administrator, playwright, actor and artist, who designed the national flag of Dominica. Bully was bestowed with the Sisserou Award of Honour, the nation's second highest honour, in 1985. He was responsible for establishing and developing Dominica's Department of Culture and was its first director. Viewed as being the island's "cultural icon", Bully's contributions were to arts and culture, also impacting on the areas of education and communication, and according to Dominica News Online there was no Dominican more decorated and honoured in those fields than Bully, whose influence extended to the wider Caribbean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denise Charles</span> Politician in Dominica

DeniseCharles is a politician from Dominica, who in 2019 was appointed Minister for Tourism, International Transport and Maritime Initiatives for the Government of Dominica. Key issues for her ministry to address is the recovery of the country's tourism sector after the impact of COVID-19, as well as the impact of climate change.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "ROTATION SCHEDULE FOR THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE CONFERENCE 1 JANUARY 2018 TO 30 JUNE 2025" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-01-08.
  2. ↑ Dominica News Online (accessed 18 January 2011) Archived March 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "Home - Ministry of Finance". finance.gov.dm.
  4. ↑ Who's your daddy? (accessed 24 December 2010) Archived October 24, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Deputy Prime Minister > Biography (accessed 24 December 2010) Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ O’Keeffe, Kate (2015-10-17). "China Tycoon Back Under U.S. Scrutiny". Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  7. ↑ "PM Skerrit denies association in UN bribery scandal". Dominica News Online. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  8. ↑ Al Jazeera Investigations | Diplomats for Sale , retrieved 2019-11-29
  9. ↑ Sorhaindo, Rupert (10 December 2019). "Reflections on Dominica 2019 general election results". Caribbean News Global.
  10. ↑ Reporter, WIC News (2023-08-11). "CARICOM Chairman Roosevelt Skerrit engages with COP28 President-Designate, calls for urgent climate action". WIC News. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  11. ↑ Byron, Anglina (2023-05-26). "Dominica: PM Roosevelt Skerrit chairs CARICOM council meeting with Labour Ministers". Associates Times a Caribbean News website. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  12. ↑ Reporter, WIC News (2023-07-04). "PM Roosevelt Skerrit pledges to support Haiti as CARICOM Chairman". WIC News. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  13. ↑ Henry, George (10 October 2023). "Caribbean nations push for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas conflict". WriteUps24. Archived from the original on October 12, 2023.
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Dominica
2004–present		Incumbent
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.