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Dominica is wild, natural, and largely unspoiled by tourism and commerce. You won't find the expansive white sand beaches often associated with tropical islands, but you will find lush jungles, remote villages, abundant wildlife, and secluded, rough beaches.
To sweeten the deal, Dominica offers some of the best diving in the Caribbean. If you love the idea of an underwater, over-mountain, into-the-wild adventure, Dominica is for you.
The Caribs, who settled here in the 14th century, called the island Waitikubuli, which means 'tall is her body'. With less poetic flair, Christopher Columbus named the island after the day of the week he spotted it - Sunday, 3 November 1493.
In 1607, Captain John Smith and his followers stopped at the Dominican coastal settlement of Portsmouth for a couple of days before heading north to establish Jamestown, north America's first permanent English settlement. The harbour became so important to the British that they intended to make Portsmouth the island's capital until outbreaks of malaria and yellow fever thwarted the plan.
France laid claim to the island in 1635 and a few years later sent a contingent of missionaries, who were driven off by unwelcoming Caribs. The French and English signed a neutrality treaty in 1660 agreeing to Carib possession of the island. Nevertheless, French settlers from the neighbouring French West Indies began establishing coffee plantations on Dominica toward the end of the century. France then sent a governor in the 1720s and took formal possession of the island.
For the remainder of the 18th century, Dominica was caught up in the French and British skirmishes that marked the era, changing hands between the two powers several times. Under the Treaty of Paris, the French reluctantly ceded the island to the British in 1763. The French tried to recapture Dominica in 1795 and again in 1805, when they managed to burn much of Roseau to the ground.
After 1805 the island remained firmly in the possession of the British, who established sugar plantations on Dominica's more accessible slopes. The British administered the island as part of the Leeward Islands Federation until 1939, when it was transferred to the Windward Islands Federation.
In 1967, Dominica gained control over its internal affairs as a West Indies Associated State; in 1978, on the 485th anniversary of Columbus' 'discovery', Dominica became an independent republic within the Commonwealth.
The initial year of independence was a turbulent one. The island's first prime minister, Patrick John, was forced to resign in June 1979 after a series of corrupt schemes came to light, including an attempt to transfer 15% of the island to US developers. Hurricane David, packing winds of 241kph (150 mph), devastated the island in August 1979, denuding vast tracts of forest, destroying banana crops and wreaking havoc on much of Roseau. 42 people were killed and 75% of the islanders' homes were destroyed or severely damaged.
In 1980 Mary Eugenia Charles was elected Prime Minister, becoming the first female elected head of state in the Caribbean. Within a year of her inauguration she survived two unsuccessful coups, including a bizarre attempt orchestrated by Patrick John involving mercenaries recruited from the Ku Klux Klan.
As chairperson of the Organization of East Caribbean States, Prime Minister Pierre Charles endorsed the 1983 US invasion of Grenada and sent a symbolic force of Dominican troops to participate. An appreciative USA responded with increased aid to Dominica , one consequence of which is the island's fine paved roads. After 15 years in office, Charles resigned in 1995 and was replaced by Edison James of the United Workers' Party (DUWP).
Lately, Dominica's politics have been turbulent and fractious, with former PM Edison James facing charges of corruption and embezzlement. The most recent elections were held in January of 2000. Roosevelt Douglas, leader of the Labour Party of Dominica (LDP), became the new prime minister.
The sudden death of Douglas on October 1, 2000, after only eight months in office, came as a shock to the many Dominicans who cherished him for his years of fighting for autonomy and working-class issues.
The recession and tourism downturn of 2001 hit the country's economy, and in May 2002 Prime Minister Pierre Charles announced that the country was in economic and financial crisis. Charles himself died in office in early 2004 and was replaced by education minister Roosevelt Skerrit. which got re-elected in 2005 as the Prime Minister of Dominica .
Flag description: green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes).
About Dominica
Constitutional Events in Dominica
HISTORICAL EVENTS IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA
1627 - Dominica and other islands were granted by patent to the Earl of Carlisle who was a Proprietor.
1748 - Pressure from France led to the Treaty of Aix-La Chapelle which forced the British to give up claims to the islands of the 1627 Patent including Dominica.
1763 - Dominica was ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Paris. The Royal Proclamation establishes "Government of Grenada" with jurisdiction over Grenada,the Grenadines, St. Vincent, Tobago and Dominica - one Governor and one Legislature for the group.
1768 - Separate Legislative Assembly established in Dominica.
1778 - The French repossessed Dominica. The Legislative Assembly continued to function as usual.
1833 - Dominica grouped in the Leeward Islands administrative union under one Governor.
1838 - Mulatto Ascendancy form a majority in House of Assembly of Dominica, the first in the British West Indies.
1871 - Administrative union of the Leeward Islands converted to a constitutional Federation - with a federal
1783 - The French returned Dominica to Britain by the Treaty of VersaiHes.
1784 - Governor Orde convenes Assembly to deal with internal Maroon revolt.
1831 - Full political and social rights granted to free non whites.Executive Council nominated by the Governor and a federal Legislative Council consisting of ten (10) nominated members and ten (10) elected members elected by the unofficial members of the legislatures of the member islands. Dominica administered by a President (later titled "Commissioner" and subsequently "Administrator").
1898 - Crown Colony Rule is introduced in Dominica with Sir Hesketh Bell as its first Administrator.
1922 - The Wood Commission visits and makes possible the election of four (4) members to unofficial side of legislature.
1932 - The Closer Union Commission further weakened Crown Colony Rule and set the basis for the West Indies Federation of 1958.
1938 - The Moyne Commission visits and makes possible union and party formation in Dominica.
1940 - Dominica withdrawn from the Leeward Islands constitutional Federation and placed in the Windward Islands Administrative Union.
1945 - First Trade Union formed in Dominica, to wit, the Dominica Trade Union.
1951 - (1) Universal Adult Suffrage introduced, replacing property-ownership or payment of taxes as qualifications for voting.(2) Qualification for membership on the Legislative Council reduced.(3) Legislative Council with a clear elected majority established - consisting of two(2) ax-officio, three (3) nominated and eight (8) elected members, with Administrator having a casting vote.
1955 - (1) Ministerial system introduced. The Legislative Council remained unchanged, but a fourth elected member was included in the Executive Council - three of whom were appointed Ministers on a majority vote of elected nominated members of Legislative Council and removable on majority vote of whole Legislative Council. One (1) ex-officio member was added but the official member was to be appointed only if requested by Executive Council.
(2) The First Representative Party was formed - The Labour Party of Dominica.
1956 - (1) The British Caribbean Federation Act 1956 was passed enabling Her Majesty in Council to provide for the Federation of the West Indian Colonies of which Dominica was one.
1957 - (2) Dominica had its first Chief Minister.(3) The Second Representative Party was formed - The Dominica United Peoples Party.The West Indies Federation was constituted under the West Indies (Federation) Order in Council 1957 which was brought into operation in Dominica on the 3rd day of January, 1958 by the West Indies (Federation) (Commencement) Order in Council 1957.
1962 - With the dissolution of the Federation by the West Indies Act 1962, Dominica was restored to its original status.
1967 - (1) Dominica grantedAssociated Statehood - virtual independence, with Defence and External Affairs in the hands of the U. K. Government.(2) Dominica had its first Premier.(3) New Constitution sets up legislature consisting of eleven (11) elected, three (3) nominated and an ex-officio member (the Attorney General if a public officer) and the Speaker of the House of Assembly (if not a member of the House).
1978 - Full independence attained under a republican Constitution. Unicameral legislature consisting of twenty-one (21) elected and nine (9) nominated members - with a Prime Minister and Cabinet based on the Westminster model.