The ‘Dominica Award of Honour’ was conferred on President-elect Sylvanie Burton on Sunday.
Created in 1967, this is the island’s highest national award and is conferred on persons who have rendered meritorious service and have made a significant contribution to the country’s development.
The 58-year-old of Salybia in the Kalinago Territory will be sworn into office as the first female President of the Commonwealth of Dominica today, at the State House Conference Center from 4:00pm.
“I am very honoured to have been selected first and foremost to receive that award and of course to be elected as the next President of the Commonwealth of Dominica,” Mrs. Burton said. “It’s an honour not only for me and my family but also for the Kalinago people as you know, for all women and girls in Dominica and for all indigenous people internationally.”
She continued, “It is also for all Dominicans both here and in the diaspora.”
Burton said this is an exciting day for the Kalinago people.
“It is going to be an exciting day for my people,” Burton stated. “Everybody from the Kalinago Territory wants to come down to be part of this historic occasion.”
She added, “We will be happy as an indigenous community, but I think all of Dominica should be happy that we will have our first woman President of the Commonwealth of Dominica.”
Mrs. Burton was elected in a 20-5 vote during the Fifth Meeting of The First Session of The Eleventh Parliament on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.
She is a former public officer who last served as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Rural Modernization, Kalinago Upliftment and Constituency Empowerment.
She is the first indigenous person elected to the position of President of Dominica.
Her Ladyship, the Hon. Justice Jacqueline Josiah-Graham, Resident High Court Judge, will administer the Oath of Office to the President. Following the swearing-in, Prime Minister of Dominica, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, and Her Excellency, the President will address the ceremony.
May I ask what significant contribution this woman has made to the development of DA? OMG, they make it up as they go along.
Like her predecessor Charles Savarin, she was just given the award just because she’s President. That award is now like a trinket