Roseau. Photo: Caribbean Journal

Savarin was installed as the country’s eighth president at Dominica’s House of Parliament this week in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, members of Cabinet, former presidents, and other guests.

“While all of us, whether part of the political establishment or not, are concerned with matters such as reducing debt, alleviating poverty, providing access to education and health services, creating jobs, developing our physical infrastructure and providing a safety net for the less fortunate, the prosperity and happiness we seek as a nation will be more easily and successfully achieved if we pursue them collectively,” he said in his opening address to the country.

He said that “progress in that regard will be more rapid with the restoration of civility and decency to public and private discourse, cooperation in matters of national importance and with greater respect for the institutions which are the pillars of our democratic society.”

Savarin succeeds former President Eliud Williams, who had served in the post since the summer of 2012 on a provisional basis after taking over following Nicholas Liverpool’s resignation due to health issues.

Savarin was elected at the end of September.

Dominica is one of five CARICOM Member States that have Presidents as their heads of state. In recent years, Jamaica has broached the possibility of withdrawing from the Crown and having a president as head of state.