Roosevelt Skerrit Prime Minister of Dominica Date of Birth: 08.06.1972 Country: Dominica

Biography of Roosevelt Skerrit

Roosevelt Skerrit, the Prime Minister of Dominica, has been in office since January 8, 2004. He is also the leader of the Dominica Labour Party. Skerrit received his education in the United States and later taught at the Dominica Community College. In 1997, he earned a Bachelor's degree in English Language from the University of Mississippi and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from New Mexico State University. He also taught English at Clifton-Dupigny Municipal College.

Skerrit entered politics in 1999 and was elected to the House of Assembly in February 2000. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, he served as the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, and later as the Minister of Sports, Education, and Youth Affairs. Following the sudden death of Prime Minister Pierre Charles on January 8, 2004, Skerrit was appointed as his successor, leading a two-party coalition government. At the age of 31, he became the youngest Prime Minister in the world. He simultaneously held the position of Minister of Finance. In February 2004, he was elected as the political leader of the Dominica Labour Party.

Under Skerrit's leadership, the Dominica Labour Party achieved an absolute majority in the legislative body in the general elections of May 2005, with 52% of the votes and 12 out of 21 seats in Parliament. As Prime Minister, Skerrit took on the ministerial portfolios of Finance, Planning, National Security, and Diaspora Affairs. In a cabinet reshuffle announced on October 16, 2007, he also assumed the roles of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Social Security, while relinquishing the portfolios of National Security and Economic Planning that he previously held. On November 18, 2008, he stepped down as Minister of Foreign Affairs and resumed the position of Minister of National Security.

During Skerrit's premiership, diplomatic relations were established with China, and a joint communiqué was signed, granting Dominica $112 million in Chinese aid. This recognition of the People's Republic of China led to the severance of diplomatic ties with Taiwan, whose policies the Prime Minister views as "unrealistic." Skerrit prioritized combating HIV/AIDS, stabilizing the economy, and restructuring the national debt. He maintained good relations with Cuba and Venezuela, with the latter providing $26 million for the renovation of the Melville Hall Airport (renamed Douglas-Charles Airport on October 27, 2014). He also joined the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas.

Skerrit achieved confident victories in the elections of 2009, 2014, and 2019, winning four consecutive elections. On December 7, 2019, he was sworn in as Prime Minister once again and on December 17, 2019, he also took on the roles of Minister of Finance, Development and Economic Affairs, Investments, Planning, Telecommunications, and Broadcasting. He served as the Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Skerrit is a strong advocate for wider regional cooperation and has worked towards deepening collaboration with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

Notably, Skerrit has been one of the youngest serving heads of state in the world. He has a son named Malik.