Alix Boyd-Knights
Alix Boyd-Knights was the longest-serving Speaker of the House of Assembly in Dominica. She was Speaker of the House of Assembly from 2000 to 2019.
Boyd-Knights attended Convent High School from 1953 to 1960; Leeds College of Technology in England from 1962 to 1963; the University of the West Indies in St. Lucia from 1984 to 1986; the University of the West Indies in Barbados from 1986 to 1988; Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago from 1988 to 1990.
An attorney-at-law and founder of Knights Chambers, Alix Boyd-Knights worked as a bank clerk with the Royal Bank of Canada in Dominica from 1960 to 1961; worked as a teacher at Castries Comprehensive School from 1971 to 1972; started the Knights Cookery School in St. Lucia and taught there from 1972 to 1986; serves as chairperson of the Constituency Boundaries Commission from 2000 till date; serves chairperson of Committees and Speaker of the House of Assembly; and chairperson of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians.
Alix Boyd-Knights was first elected as Speaker of the House in April 2000 and won re-election on July 2005, February 2010, February 2015, and retired in December 2019. She served for four terms which lasted for nearly 19 years. She also served as the chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians within the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
Knights remains one of the most respected lawyers and politicians on the island. Her grandson, 24-year-old Phillip Rolle, is now the Deputy Speaker while former Roseau Central Member of Parliament, Joseph Isaac, is the newly elected Speaker of the House of Assembly.
She is now a Speaker Emeritus.