Sylvanie Burton – President Of Dominica
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H.E. Sylvanie Burton took oath as the first female, first indigenous President of Dominica on Monday 02.10.2023. at the State House Conference Centre. She is a former public officer, who was elected in a 20-5 vote during the Fifth Meeting of the First Session of the Eleventh Parliament.
During her speech, Burton said she recalls the struggles of her Kalinago ancestors, she also thanked her community for helping her come this far in her journey. President Burton mentioned that she is not only the President of the Kalinago community but for all.
“I will continue to be a voice for those women and children in our community who are being exploited. I tend to use my office to do everything I can to make our community one that is enlightened in its approach to resolving the issues facing our vulnerable citizens,” President Sylvanie Burton.
Slyanie Burton is the tenth President of Dominica elected and hails from Kalinago territory. She started her career at the village council club in 2014, and since then, Burton has served as a public officer in various ministries. During the 39 years of her service, she has worked with numerous esteemed offices of the Ministry of Environment, Rural Modernization and Kalinago Upliftment and Constituency Empowerment.
Former Head of State Charles Angelo Savarin.
His Excellency Charles Angelo Savarin, D.A.H.
Charles A. Savarin was elected President of the Commonwealth of Dominica by the House of Assembly on Monday, September 30, 2013 in accordance with the provisions of Section 19 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Dominica. He comes to the office of President after a long and distinguished career as a teacher, trade unionist, parliamentarian, diplomat and government minister.
Mr Savarin served as a Senator in the parliament during the Interim Government (1979-1980); during the first term of the Dame Eugenia Charles, Dominica Freedom Party administration (1980-1985); and during the Dominica Labour Party government (2005-2013).
Mr Savarin has held several ministerial appointments during his more than twenty-four years long parliamentary career. These include Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with special responsibility for Trade, Industry and Tourism (1983- 1985); Minister for Tourism and Enterprise Development (2000-2005); Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade& Labour and Minister with responsibility for the Public Service (2005-2007); Minister for Public Utilities, Energy & Ports and Minister with responsibility for the Public Service (2007-2009); and Minister for National Security, Immigration, & Labour and Minister with responsibility for the Public Service (2010-2013).
Mr Savarin has also served Dominica with distinction at the diplomatic level, first as Minister Counsellor/Dominica High Commission to the United Kingdom (1985-1986). In 1986, Mr Savarin was appointed Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the European Union, Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Swiss Federation. He was also the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva and principal ambassadorial spokesman for African-Caribbean and Pacific States ACP, on bananas. As principal ACP negotiator he was instrumental in the successful negotiation of the new Banana Import Regime, EU Regulation 404 of 1993, which secured special preferential access conditions for ACP bananas entering the European Single Market.
Upon his return to Dominica Mr Savarin served as General Manager of the National Development Corporation from 1993 until his resignation in 1995 when he was elected Parliamentary Representative for the Roseau Central Constituency. He was re-elected in 2000 serving till 2005. He was also Political Leader of the Dominica Freedom Party (1996-2006).
Mr Savarin served as a teacher at the Dominica Grammar School (1963-1970). He was also one of the most influential leaders of the trade union movement of the modern era during his stint as General Secretary of the Civil Service Association (1966-1983).
Charles Angelo Savarin was born in the town of Portsmouth, is married and has five children. He is a devout catholic and attended the St. John’s Primary School, the Dominica Grammar School and Ruskin College, Oxford, England. He has professional training in industrial relations, development studies and international relations from the United Kingdom and Germany.
Curriculum Vitae of His Excellency Charles Angelo Savarin, D.A.H. (PDF, 47KB).