Prime Minister Skerrit Looking Forward to Collaborative Approaach to Building Dominica

For the second consecutive term, Leader of the Dominica Labour Party Roosevelt Skerrit was sworn in as prime minister.

He was elected prime minister following the death of Pierre Charles in 2000 but was officially elected in 2005 and now 2009.

Skerrit announced that he would pinpoint his new Cabinet and reveal their various portfolios following the Christmas holidays, but he told the media following his swearing in ceremony at Morne Bruce on Monday, that he is looking forward to a collaborative approach towards building Dominica.

According to Skerrit, notwithstanding the fact that the DLP has 18 seats in parliament, “this government will never go to the parliament and amend any parts of the constitution without consulting the people of Dominica,” he said.

The prime minster extended a hand of friendship and goodwill to the Opposition United Workers Party, saying “we are prepared to work with them and we shall continue that process. The task ahead is not an easy one, there are many challenges and we are operating in a very difficult global situation and from all indication that difficulty is expected to continue well into 2010,” he said.

He said “I know we have made mistakes in the last years and we hope to put measures in place to correct the errors that we have made.

Meantime Skerrit said parliamentary representatives will be given official offices in their various constituencies.

He says he is confident that the new offices will foster greater relationships between the communities and their representative.

“The parliament must be taken away from people’s homes and people’s private cars to proper offices so we intend to make provisions for the parliament meeting the cost of constituency officers. I believe it’s unfair that when someone wants to see a member of parliament that they have t come all the way to Roseau to do that,” he said

The newly elected leader also indicated his interest to having a similar office put in place for the leader of the opposition.