Parliament will convene on Wednesday (September 27) to elect a new President.
The new president will replace outgoing President His Excellency Charles Angelo Savarin as his second five-year term comes to an end on October 1, 2023.
On August 30, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit unveiled his nominee, Senior Public Officer Mrs. Sylvanie Burton, for the presidential position while Opposition Leader Jesma Paul-Victor nominated former Opposition Senator Anette Sanford as her choice for the upcoming presidency of Dominica.
“The 1st of October will be my last day in office, we will have a new President sworn in on the 2nd of October,” President Savarin said. “Ten years as President is a privilege which I believe anybody called upon to serve in that office would be proud to make his or her contribution.”
According to him, he leaves the presidency with no regrets.
“I leave the presidency being satisfied that I have done my best, sometimes in trying circumstances, but generally I believe I have sought to make a contribution and all my life have been given to public service and being president, I think, is a pinnacle of service to your country,” he noted.
His Excellency Savarin is the eighth President of Dominica.
He was first 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.
Prior to this, he 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).
His Excellency Savarin has held several ministerial appointments including 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 and Labour and Minister with responsibility for the Public Service (2005-2007); Minister for Public Utilities, Energy and Ports and Minister with responsibility for the Public Service (2007-2009); and Minister for National Security, Immigration and Labour and Minister with responsibility for the Public Service (2010-2013).
He has also served at the diplomatic level, first as Minister Counsellor/Dominica High Commission to the United Kingdom (1985-1986). In 1986, His Excellency 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).
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, His Excellency 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 and served until 2005. He was also Political Leader of the Dominica Freedom Party (1996-2006).
Mr. Savarin served as a Teacher at the Dominica Grammar School in his early years (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).
His Excellency Savarin was born in the town of Portsmouth, is married to Clara Josephine Savarin, and has five children, Paula Savarin, Dr. Anthea John-Phillip, Carla Savarin, Hubert Savarin, and Dr. Amanda Savarin.
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.
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Charlo’s claim to fame is he held back Dominica and created division in this country which got worse when he joined forces with the “I’m-the-people leader. I personally didn’t expect anything from him. Look, he spent a long time in Brussels as the ambassador and what did Dominica gain? On his return he couldn’t run for office in his hometown but was put up in the Soufriere constituency, a Freedom party stronghold. What did he do for the people of Soufriere? It’s been know that that community is in peril with one access road in case of a volcano eruption or natural disaster. Yes, Skerritt spoke of doing something but it’s turned out to be only cheap talk. He personally lobbied for the boycotting of a business establishment in Dominica which employed citizens and paid money in taxes to the government. He sat idly by whilst Salisbury residents were shot at with live ammunition and tear gas whilst they slept. Armed troops from Barbados comes to our country and we knew nothing.
You will go down in history as the worst President so far. You did something which can’t be forgiven, you betrayed your own country! Live on the island will get tough for you from now on. Watch out.
I think you have your historical facts very confused, or maybe you were under the influence of a state-altering substance when you posted this. Ok, it happens. Now that you are sober, check your facts and come again.
Which facts are you talking about? You are one crazy SOB if I have ever seen one.
Can you imagine that after occupying the office of the President for 10 long years that Angelo can only say that he leaves office with “no regrets “. The guy can’t point to any accomplishments, any lasting legacy, any initiative he championed in the building and advancement of Dominica. I categorize this as a square peg that sat in a round hole for far too long. I wish him all the best in his remaining years on the green earth.
Off course he had no regrets. Life was SWEEETTTT!!!! if i was him i wouldnt regret the good time either. That man did nothing for Dominica during his tenure as President. Not one thing. Lets see if he stays in Dominica once is time to leave the big house of luxury and have to go back Elmshall.
Garçan one claim alone Mr. Can say he taking credit for and the evidence is still on those windows on the Ministry Building.
Mr. Nevah do noffing for Dominica!!!
When he ran for Possie he loss, when he ran for Roseau he loss den from dat time Mr. been riding on people’s coat tails,,,
Is as though mistadem made a corplo to take Dominica back in to the Stone Age cause as people can see tings worse off from when dey started and even worse in his 10 year tenure,,,
But now he can go live in the Big house on the hill and run around the globe wiff Diplomat status,,
But de evil dat man do does come back and haunt dem 10 folds so if Mista start suffering from some disease that’s gonna make his bones start twisting leaving him in forever excruciating pain doh feel sorry for him!!!
“I leave the presidency being satisfied that I have done my best, sometimes in trying circumstances, but generally I believe I have sought to make a contribution and all my life have been given to public service and being president, I think, is a pinnacle of service to your country,” he noted.
What has he done? Can anyone tell me? Wickedness in high and low places. I guess is back to Brussels for him? The community of Elmshall will be too low class for him and the reality of everyday life in Dominica will come as quite a shock.
DNO is going to come in for some wood from Ibo,Francisco,MEME and the new UWP Jacka Hello,for posting Savarin was elected by the House of Assembly.It should read Savarin was elected by Roosevelt Skerrit.The level of stupidity invested in the above mentioned aholes is beyond understanding.
You can put anyone for president but you need to deflate their salary to something decent below $10k a month. Democracy my foot, this version hasn’t worked, never worked. Isn’t this a recipe for disaster like Garbon with one family “and friends” from Portsmouth area running the island for over 20 years?
Charlo you could have granted the country a favour by leaving office yesterday or last week. You served your master, Chi-Chi, well, while Dominica sunk. I don’t expect the incoming president to be any better than Charlo. Already her Skerrit Labour Party (SLP) politics in the recent past, has embroiled her eligibility for the position into serious controversy. She just won’t be neutral. But she’ll get her way!
This country has only compromised institutions, and the office of the president adds to the morass that the country faces. Thanks to Dominica’s Starboy of Stupidity!!
This was never a President, it is SHAMEFUL how this man lower the STANDARD AND INTEGRITY OF THE OFFICE. The WORST PRESIDENT DOMINICA EXPERIENCE. SHAME ON YOU. You will be remembered for Destroying Dominica, That’s Your LEGACY.
“You will be remembered for Destroying Dominica…” How has he done so?
Putin, you were still in the womb when Charlo destroyed Dominica.
And you still alive, breathing, eating, drinking, sleeping, making love, surviving. And you enjoyed the backpay he fought for for you in 1977. Give the man his kudos.