Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica

 

GOVERNMENT PRESS SECRETARY

OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

 

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PRESS RELEASE 01/2005

 

LATE PRIME MINISTER HON. PIERRE CHARLES SET TO BE

HONOURED ON FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH

 

 

Roseau, Dominica – January 7th 2005…...The late Prime Minister of Dominica, Hon. Pierre Charles, was honoured on Thursday January 6, 2005 in Grand Bay, a constituency he dominated for nearly two decades. January 6 marked one year since Dominica’s sixth Prime Minister died.

 

A number of activities were held to commemorate the first anniversary since his passing. The Geneva to Deux Pond Road in Grand Bay, opened in 2003, was officially renamed in his memoryHon. Pierre Charles. The Grand Bay Secondary School was also renamed in honour of the former Dominican leader.

 

A memorial service was held at the Grand Bay Roman Catholic Church followed by the launching of the Pierre Charles Foundation later that evening.

 

Prime Minister, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, other Cabinet colleagues, Parliamentary Representative for Grand Bay, Hon. John Fabien and large numbers of family and friends participated in the activities.


 

Hon. Pierre Charles entered Parliament in 1985 on a Dominica Labour Party ticket and remained undefeated as the Parliamentary Representative for Grand Bay until his death. He became Prime Minister in October of 2000 following the sudden death of Hon. Rosie Douglas.

 

Pierre Charles is credited with having pioneered an economic stabilization and recovery programme that was designed to restore stability to the public finances as a platform for the restoration of economic growth.  Despite health worries in 2002 and 2003, he was able to gain acceptance of the programme by the Dominican populace and the international donor community and lived long enough to see signs of an incipient economic recovery by late 2003.

 

In a tribute to his predecessor, Prime Minister of Dominica, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, acknowledged the enormous contribution of Pierre Charles at a critical juncture in the country’s history. Mr. Skerrit said: “I have inherited from Pierre Charles a road map for the future social and economic development of this country. He did not live to see it implemented, but the final product will be a lasting monument to his memory.” (Ends)