Anette Sanford to be inaugurated as first female Kalinago Chief

In what is being described as ‘historic,’ Annette Sanford will be inaugurated as the first female Kalinago Chief on Wednesday afternoon.

Members of the new Kalinago Council will also take their oath of office at the ceremony.

Sanford will be invested as Chief by President of Dominica, Sylvanie Burton.

Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, is expected to attend and will be giving remarks.

Members of the Council will be administered their oath by Local Government Commissioner, Glenroy Toussaint.

Outgoing Kalinago Chief, Lorenzo Sanford, will also give remarks at the ceremony.

Sanford won the Kalinago Chief election in July by a landslide.

Her overwhelming win shocked many observers in the Kalinago Territory who thought that a victory for any of the seven candidates contesting would be by a small margin.

After she was announced the winner, Sanford called for unity in the Kalinago Territory.

“Let us join hands and our hearts and put the Kalinago Territory first,” she told supporters. “We need to set aside our political differences and focus on developing our community. As your leader, I am going to support you and help us to accomplish just that.”

She said work by her and the new council has already started since she is putting together a strategic plan for the Kalinago Territory.

“And of course, after inauguration we will go to the various communities and present what we have,” she stated.

The ceremony will take place at the Barana Aute from 3:00 pm.

It will be carried live by Dominica News Online.