Dominica Elects First Woman Head Of State

DOMINICA – Dominica elected its first-ever woman head of state, Wednesday.

By a margin of 20 to 5, Dominican lawmakers, – six government ministers and one opposition legislator were absent for various reasons – voted in support of 58-year-old Sylvanie Burton, the government’s nominee, who had faced a challenge from Anette Sanford.

She will be sworn in on October 2.

But the victory was overshadowed by an attempt by Opposition Legislator, Sean Douglas, who questioned whether Burton, had in fact met the requirements under the Dominica constitution to be nominated, claiming that she was still employed as a senior public servant.