Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit Announces the New Look of Cabinet Ministers

Office of the Prime Minister 12th December, 2022

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The new look Cabinet of Ministers of Dominica and associated Parliamentary Secretaries, shall be as follows:

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.
Senator Rayburn Blackmoore
Minister for National Security and Legal Affairs.
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, Enterpreneurship 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.
Senator Hon. Oscar George
Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sports and Community Development, with specific responsibility for Youth and Sports.
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, with 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 Development of Community Agro Enterprises.
Senator Kent Edwards
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services with particular responsibility for Community and Home Care.

It is my intention, at the first sitting of Parliament, to nominate Mr. Joseph Issac to serve, for a second term, as The Honorable Speaker in the House of Assembly.

Senator Phillip Rolle will also be nominated as Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly.

The fifth Government Senator in the Parliament of Dominica shall be Mr. Austel Lockhart.

Additionally, I will, as Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, invite former Senior Minister, Reginald Austrie to sit in on and serve as Special Advisor to the Cabinet of Ministers on Public Affairs and Community Relations. I believe that with so many new faces in the government, we need someone who can keep members grounded in the wisdom of remaining fully connected at the constituency and community levels, and also provide us with wisdom, and an interpretation of what the many persons that we serve are saying, and how they are responding to the actions and pronouncements of the government.

In the same regard, I shall invite former Government Minister Dr. Kenneth Darroux to serve as Special Envoy, in the Office of the Prime Minister. He will attend meetings of the Cabinet on the invitation. Among other responsibilities, he will have the specific responsibility for Electoral Modernization. Dr. Darroux will interact with the many sectoral interests that will be engaged and consulted on this very important issue, as we ensure that Dominica has a modernized, efficient, electoral system.

Additionally, I have also invited former Minister of Government, Ian Douglas to serve as Dominica’s Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba. Cuba continues to be a very close and meaningful ally to Dominica along its pathway to development.

In many respects, Cuba is our first country of reference in times of need. Mr. Douglas shall be entrusted and supported in strengthening relations with this cherished friendly state and ally of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Former Minister of Government and Member of Parliament, Roslyn Paul has been a Cultural Icon in her own right. I have asked Ms. Paul to serve as a Consultant to the Cabinet, and in particular to the new Minister in the Ministry of Culture, to advise on the creation of community-based, tourism-focused, cultural enterprises. There is more to Dominica than just our natural rivers, waterfalls, and the like. We need to showcase our culture and unique expressions not only on selected calendar dates but year-round in villages across the nation.

Visitors to Dominica and indeed residents and visitors of this country should be able to go somewhere on the island on a Friday or Saturday night and see a uniquely Dominica cultural exposition, reflecting what and who we are. Communities of the north, northeast, and Kalinago districts will be specifically targeted for this program and Ms. Paul shall be provided the necessary support to enable the execution of her assignment.

On this occasion, as well, I would like to announce the intended appointment of the current Permanent Secretary in the Office of Prime Minister, Mrs. Missi Henderson to the long-vacant position of High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, with additional responsibility for Diplomacy, Trade, Investment, and Diaspora Relations, in several neighboring European countries.

Former Cabinet Secretary Steve Ferrol shall serve as Dominica’s Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States Austel Bertrand as Ambassador to the United States.

Dr. Philbert Aaron – will be the Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Mr. Avondale Paul will replace Ambassador Hubert Charles at our Embassy in the United Arab Emirates.

Fellow Dominicans, residents, friends, Ladies and Gentlemen – 2023 and beyond hold much promise for Dominica. We are focused on becoming the Dynamic Dominica we know this country is capable of being. This new Government will bring a fresh and purposeful approach to problem-solving.

We shall remain in touch with the people while maintaining healthy relations with nations far and near. Dominica will have a presence in major international capitals, and it shall have a voice and strong representation across the region.

Moreover, we shall continue to pursue healthier relations with social partners in Dominica. A new Ministry under Hon. Miriam Blanchard has been created for this. I have committed to more frequent engagement with trade unions, the private sector, opposition representatives, the church, and other arms of civil and social society. We shall be a government for all and of all.

Fellow Dominicans, residents, and friends…a reset Dominica shall ride the tide. We shall navigate raging seas and return peace, progress, and prosperity to a nation that has had its fair share of natural, global, and man-made disasters.

I look forward to this new term with eager anticipation, and I invite each and every one of you to tune in tomorrow for the swearing in of your new Cabinet of ministers.

May Bless you all. May continue to Bless the beautiful, blessed island of Dominica. I thank you.