{"id":328882,"date":"2024-09-12T11:38:34","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T15:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=328882"},"modified":"2024-09-12T11:38:34","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T15:38:34","slug":"anette-sanford-takes-oath-of-office-as-first-female-kalinago-chief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/homepage\/anette-sanford-takes-oath-of-office-as-first-female-kalinago-chief\/","title":{"rendered":"Anette Sanford takes oath of office as first female Kalinago Chief"},"content":{"rendered":"
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New Kalinago Chief Anette Sanford (right) accepts staff of office from President Sylvanie Burton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On September 11 2024, history was made in the Kalinago Territory when Anette Sanford was inaugurated as the first female Kalinago Chief.<\/p>\n

Her oath of office was administered by Local Government Commissioner, Glenroy Toussaint.<\/p>\n

She was invested and given her staff of office by President of Dominica, Sylvanie Burton, who is also a Kalinago.<\/p>\n

Before a large crowd of government officials, local and foreign dignitaries and people from the Kalinago Territory she vowed to work for the advancement of the island’s indigenous people.<\/p>\n

She said as she begins her term of office, she was standing on the shoulders of her Kalinago ancestors who bravely fought to defend Dominica from European colonizers.<\/p>\n

“We all stand on the shoulders of our ancestors who, with courage and tenacity, preserved our culture, our language, and our way of life,” Sanford said. “They fought not just with weapons but with wisdom, passing down stories that hold the essence of who we are. It is because of their sacrifice that we are here today, a people with an unbroken spirit and a story still unfolding. These are the shoulders on which I now stand as your Kalinago Chief.”<\/p>\n

She stressed the importance of education for the development of the Kalinago people.<\/p>\n

“Education, both traditional and contemporary, must become the backbone of our community’s development,” she stated. “We must ensure that our young people are equipped to navigate both worlds – the one we inherit from our ancestors and the one we build today. We must create spaces where our young Kalinagos can learn, grow and lead.”<\/p>\n

The new Chief called on regional leaders to help develop the Kalinago people.<\/p>\n

“Today, I call on the Caribbean leaders who may be listening to my address, to join hands with me in helping to develop the only living indigenous community in our region,” she said. “Your help would contribute towards healing the hurt and injustice experience throughout our existence as an indigenous people. I am looking forward to having some meaningful dialogue and collaboration with as many of you during my term as Kalinago Chief. It is worth noting that as Dominica indigenous people, we are also the indigenous people of the region. Our success is the region’s success, likewise our failure is also a failure of the region as a people.”<\/p>\n

She also called on the government to make good on a promise made to designate a National Day dedicated to the Kalinago people.<\/p>\n

“It is on this premise, that I make an appeal as your Kalinago Chief to the Prime Minister and Government of Dominica, that serious consideration be given to the promise made by the Prime Minister at the 2019 inauguration of Chief Lorenzo Sanford – to designate a National Day in dedication to the indigenous people of Dominica,” she said. “That day would appropriately celebrate our culture and heritage as an indigenous people. We would wish to recommend July 4th as such a day. It is our hope that July 4th, 2025 would be that start of this celebration.”<\/p>\n

During the ceremony, those who were voted in as Kalinago councilors also took their oath of office.<\/p>\n

The new chief revealed their portfolios and responsibilities as shown below.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Francillia Darroux – Health & Social Services
\n\u2022 Kimmerly Tyson – Youth and Sports Development
\n\u2022 Miranda Langlais – Tourism, Culture & Heritage
\n\u2022 Riscia Ellick – Education, Communication & Technology
\n\u2022 Ted Thomas – Agriculture & the Environment
\n\u2022 Wayne Rossi – Small Business Development and Entrepreneurship
\n\u2022 Anette Sanford – Foreign Affairs & Finance<\/p>\n

See the full speech of the new Kalinago Chief below.<\/p>\n