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KEY FACTS Joined Commonwealth: 1978 Population: 72,000 (2013) GDP p.c. growth: 1.8% p.a. 1990–2013 UN HDI 2014: World ranking 93 Official language: English Time: GMT minus 4 hrs Currency: East Caribbean dollar (EC$) Geography Area: 750 sq km Coastline: 148 km Capital: Roseau The Commonwealth of Dominica is one of the Windward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, lying between Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique to the south. Constitution Status: Republic Legislature: House of Assembly Independence: 3 November 1978 Dominica is a republic with a non-executive presidency and parliamentary democracy. It has a unicameral House of Assembly with 30 members plus the Speaker and Attorney-General. There are 21 directly elected members and nine senators appointed by the President: five on the advice of the Prime Minister and four on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition. Elections are held at least every five years, with universal suffrage for adults. The President is nominated by the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, and elected by the House of Assembly for not more than two terms of five years. He or she appoints the Prime Minister, who consults the President in appointing other ministers. The President may dismiss the Prime Minister in the event of a noconfidence vote in the House of Assembly. Individual rights are guaranteed under the constitution. Roseau (the capital) and the Carib Territory have a measure of selfgovernment. The Caribs elect their chief. Judicial system Supreme court: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Ministry: Tourism and Legal Affairs The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court was established (as the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court) in 1967, with its headquarters in Castries in Saint Lucia, and is responsible for the Commonwealth Governance 158 Handbook 2014/15 administration of justice in its member states, including Dominica. It comprises the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal. The chief justice and the four justices of appeal are based at the court’s headquarters, and the 19 High Court judges reside in the nine member countries and sit in the country’s court of summary jurisdiction. Less serious cases are heard in magistrates courts. The Court of Appeal is itinerant. The High Court’s jurisdiction includes fundamental rights and freedoms, and constitutional issues. Government and politics Last elections: 8 December 2014 Next elections: 2019 Head of state: President Charles Savarin (2013–) Head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit Ruling party: Dominica Labour Party Women MPs: 22% The economy continued to dominate the political agenda. The government’s top priority in the run-up to the 2000 elections had been to secure financial backing for its new airport project – the key to expanding the tourism industry, which was set to become crucial as, inevitably, the international banana market became more competitive. In the January 2000 general election, the Dominica Labour Party (DLP – ten seats) narrowly defeated the United Workers Party (UWP Dominica


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