The Government of Dominica

Dominica - Government

Based on the etymolgy of Dominica, it was the island was named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS for the day of the week on which he spotted it, Sunday ("Domingo" in Latin), 3 November 1493. The Government system in this country is the parliamentary republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter

National symbols

Sisserou parrot, Carib Wood flower; national colors: green, yellow, black, white, red.

The flag

The National flag of Dominica has green with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a Sisserou parrot, unique to Dominica, encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes); green symbolizes the island's lush vegetation; the triple-colored cross represents the Christian Trinity; the yellow color denotes sunshine, the main agricultural products (citrus and bananas), and the native Carib Indians; black is for the rich soil and the African heritage of most citizens; white signifies rivers, waterfalls, and the purity of aspirations; the red disc stands for social justice.

The National Anthem

Title	"Isle of Beauty"
Lyric/music	Wilfred Oscar Morgan POND/Lemuel McPherson CHRISTIAN

note: adopted 1967

More about the government of Dominica

Constitution
Date of Independence	3 November 1978 (from the UK)
National holiday	Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Legal system	common law based on the English model
International law organization participation	accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
History	Previous 1967 (preindependence); latest presented 25 July 1978, entered into force 3 November 1978
Amendments	Proposed by the House of Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as fundamental rights and freedoms, the government structure, and constitutional amendment procedures requires approval by three fourths of the Assembly membership in the final reading of the amendment bill, approval by simple majority in a referendum, and assent of the president; amended several times, last in 2015
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth	yes
Citizenship by descent only	yes
Dual citizenship recognized	yes
Residency requirement for naturalization	5 years
Executive Branch
Chief of state	President Sylvanie BURTON (since 2 October 2023)
Head of government	Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)
Cabinet	Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Elections/appointments	president nominated by the prime minister and leader of the opposition party and elected by the House of Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 27 September 2023 (next to be held in October 2028); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results	2023: parliament elects Sylvanie BURTON (DLP) with 20 votes for and five against
Legislative branch
Description	Unicameral House of Assembly (32 seats; 21 representatives directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 9 senators appointed by the president - 5 on the advice of the prime minister, and 4 on the advice of the leader of the opposition party, plus 2 ex-officio members - the house speaker and the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections	Last held on 6 December 2022 (next to be held in 2027); note - tradition dictates that the election is held within 5 years of the last election, but technically it is 5 years from the first seating of parliament plus a 90-day grace period
Election results	Percent of vote by party - DLP 82.3%, independent 16.9%; (elected) seats by party - DLP 19, independent 2; composition - men 20, women 12, percent of women 37.5%
Judicial branch
Highest court(s)	The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 in Dominica; note - in 2015, Dominica acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice as final court of appeal, replacing that of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, in London
Judge selection and term of office	Chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
Subordinate courts	Court of Summary Jurisdiction; magistrates' courts
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission	Ambassador Steve FERROL (since 15 September 2023)
Chancery	3216 New Mexico Ave NW Washington, DC 20016
Telephone	[1] (202) 364-6781
FAX	[1] (202) 364-6791
Email address and website	[email protected]
Consulate(s) general	New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
Embassy	The US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica
National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites	1 (natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales	Pitons Management Area