Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has disclosed that Opposition Leader Jesmar Paul-Victor has not agreed to his nomination of Sylvanie Burton to replace His Excellency Charles Savarin as President of Dominica when he demits office on September 30, 2023.
The government has nominated the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment and Kalinago Upliftment Sylvanie Burton as its candidate for President of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit made the announcement at a news conference on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, after meeting with the Opposition Leader as mandated by the Constitution.
“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 straightforward 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.
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 within 14 days.
Parliament meets today (September 12, 2023) and the only item on the Order Paper is the election of a President for Dominica.
Prime Minister Skerrit views it as “unfortunate” that he and the Leader of the Opposition were not able to agree on a “joint nomination.”
No word yet as to the choice of the Leader of the Opposition for the post of President of Dominica.