Skerrit announces Dominica’s new cabinet members

Following the landslide victory of the Dominica Labour Party in the recently concluded general elections, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit addressed the nation.

Skerrit once again expressed his gratitude for the support given to DLP.

“I take this opportunity once again to express my sincere thanks and profound gratitude to the voters of Dominica for a resounding mandate they have given to the Dominica Labour Party and myself to govern the Affairs of State for the next five years.”

The Prime Minister emphasized that the general elections were called to trigger a national reset, and he urged all Dominicans to come together towards the greater development of Dominica.

“In order to realize our true potential, we need all Dominicans, despite our political differences, to work towards the development of Dominica and a better life for people… As a nation, we should not seek to tear others down but to stretch our water helping hand to others pull each other up.” 

Skerrit said that the government would continue to do all within its power and use the resources available to ease the burden on Dominicans.

Skerrit’s “inclusive” government

In his address, Skerrit said that he had decided to include “all” elected parliamentary representatives to serve in the capacity of Parliamentary Secretary, Ministers of State, and Ministers of Government.

“I want all to share in and be part of the national decision-making process so that each constituency returned to the Dominica Labour Party can and will have a voice at the table both at the policy formulation stage and in the parliament of this country.”

In his previous speeches, Skerrit said that he had made known his intention not to serve as Prime Minister during his new tenure and therefore structured the new cabinet to share the traditional load and wit of responsibility of the Prime Minister with some senior parliament members.

Skerrit also noted that as part of the new and inclusive Dominica they are trying to build, he had attempted to reach out to and meet with various opposition members — which have been met with varying degrees of success.

New Cabinet of Ministers of Dominica and associated Parliamentary Secretaries

• Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit – Prime Minister and Minister for Investment and Governance.
• Hon. Dr Irving McIntyre – Minister for Finance, Economic Development, Climate Resilience and Social Security.
• Hon. Dr Vince Henderson – Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy.
• Hon. Cassanni Laville – Minister for Health, Wellness and Social Services.
• Hon. Melissa Poponne-Skerrit – Minister for Housing and Urban Development.
• Hon. Roland Royer – Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy.
• Hon. Denise Charles – Minister for Tourism.
• Hon. Fidel Grant – Minister for Public Works, Public Utilities and Digital Economy.
• Hon. Miriam Blanchard – Minister for Labour, Public Service Reform, Social Partnership, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development.
• Hon. Gretta Roberts – Minister for Culture, Youth, Sports and Community Development.
• Hon. Cozier Frederick – Minister for the Environment, Rural Modernisation, Kalinago Upliftment and Constituency Empowerment.
• Hon. Octavia Alfred – Minister for Education, Human Resource Planning, Vocational Training and National Excellence.
• Hon. Daren Pinard – Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour, Public Service Reform, Social Partnership Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development with specific responsibility for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development.
• Hon. Jullan Defoe – Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy with specific responsibility for Fisheries and Blue Economy.
• Hon. Chekira Lockhart- Hypolite – Minister of State in the Ministry of Public Works, Public Utilities and Digital Economy, with specific responsibility for Public Utilities, Telecoms and Broadcasting.
• Hon. Dr Cassandra Williams – Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, special responsibility for Seniors’ Security, Children at Risk, Gender Affairs and the Differently Abled.
• Hon. Fenella Wenham – Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Human Resource Planning, Vocational Training and National Excellence, with specific responsibility for Education Reform and Human Resource Development.
• Hon. Darron Lloyd – Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment, Rural Modernisation, Kalinago Upliftment and Constituency Empowerment with specific responsibility for Constituency Empowerment.
• Hon. LaKeyia Joseph – Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy, with specific responsibility for the Development of Community Agro Enterprises.
• Senator Rayburn Blackmoore – Minister for National Security and Legal Affairs.
• Senator Hon. Oscar George – Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sports and Community Development, specifically responsible for Youth and Sports.
• Senator Kent Edwards – Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services with particular responsibility for Community and Home Care.

In addition, Skerrit said that at the first sitting of Parliament, he intends to nominate Joseph Issac to serve, for a second term, as The Honorable Speaker of the House of Assembly while Senator Phillip Rolle will be nominated as Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly.

The fifth Government Senator in the Parliament of Dominica is Austel Lockhart.