Local Government of Dominica

Ministry: Community Development, Gender Affairs and Information

Association: Dominica Association of Local Authorities

Local government is provided for by the Town Council Act 1937, the Village Council Act 1954, the Carib Council Act 1978, the City Council Act 1984 and the Urban Council Act 1992, and not by the constitution. The Ministry of Community Development, Gender Affairs and Information is responsible for local government.

For the purpose of local government there are three urban councils, 37 village councils and the Carib Council in the Carib territory. The local authorities have powers to raise revenue from property and land taxes, and they receive transfers from national government, which include amounts matching revenues collected by authorities. The largest part of local government spending is on road maintenance.

 

Governance

A major initiative in combating corruption in public office was the establishment in 2008 of the Integrity Commission of the Commonwealth of Dominica, which is chaired by a former judge of the High Court, an attorney-at-law of fifteen years standing at the Bar or a former chief magistrate; and has a further six members including two government officers, two opposition politicians, one accountant and one attorney-at-law.

The commission’s mandate is to examine and verify the declarations of all public officers; and to investigate any allegations of bribery or corruption or failure to comply with the Integrity in Public Office Act, 2003.