Who runs local government in Dominica?
Dominica has small local councils but no constitutional protection for them: one city council (Roseau), one town council (Portsmouth), one urban council (Canefield), 38 village councils and the council of the Kalinago Territory. The Kalinago Territory is land set aside for the island's indigenous Kalinago people (about 2,500 people), whose elected Chief and council also manage its communal land.
Commonwealth of Dominica · Unitary parliamentary republic · Caribbean
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Roseau City Council and Portsmouth Town Council | 8 elected and 5 nominated members, three-year terms; mayor chosen by the council | By-laws, local regulation, road maintenance. |
| Canefield Urban Council and 38 village councils | 5 elected and 3 members appointed by the minister from nominations by the elected members, three-year terms; chairperson chosen by members | Village by-laws, roads and drains; limited by the centralisation of services. |
| Kalinago Council (still called the Carib Council in the 1978 Act) | Members and the Chief directly elected every five years; the Chief chairs the council | Represents the Kalinago people; runs day-to-day affairs and the communal land system of the Territory. |
Three questions about local power in Dominica
Are local leaders elected?
Most council members and the Kalinago Chief are elected; a minority of members on most councils are nominated or appointed.
Which laws set up local government?
All councils exist under Acts of Parliament (1937–1984), not the Constitution. The Kalinago communal land system is formal under the Carib Council Act.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Voters; the minister responsible for local government; district development officers and the National Audit Department audit councils.
Traditional and customary authority
The Kalinago Chief and council combine traditional leadership with a modern elected structure created by the Carib Council Act 1978. Land in the Territory is held communally: it cannot be bought or sold privately, and the council allocates use. Elsewhere churches, especially the Catholic Church, are influential but have no legal powers.
Community and neighbourhood power
Councils must meet residents and form committees, and they consult residents quarterly. Turnout in village council elections is low (an average of 18% in 2014–17).
Points to know
- Local government spent only about 0.9% of total government spending in 2013/14, mostly on roads.
- Women made up about 35% of councillors in 2016/17, which is high for the region.
- The Kalinago are among the last indigenous Caribbean peoples with a recognised territory in the Eastern Caribbean.
Local terms
- Kalinago Territory
- About 15 sq km of land on Dominica's east coast set aside for the indigenous Kalinago, held communally.
- Kalinago Chief
- The elected leader of the Kalinago people, who chairs the Kalinago Council for five years.
Sources
- The local government system in Dominica: country profile 2017–18, Commonwealth Local Government Forum, checked 14 October 2026
- Dominica's Constitution of 1978 (rev. 2014), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
See also: Dominica's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.