On May 18th, 2015 in London, Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit launched the candidacy of Patricia Scotland for the position of Commonwealth Secretary General (SG).
A release from Scotland’s campaign team said that at a reception hosted in the candidate’s honour, Skerrit explained why Dominica was convinced that she was: “the right choice at the right time.”
Introduced by Dominican Foreign Minister Francine Baron, the release said the Prime Minister spoke about the “crisis of identity and purpose facing the Commonwealth and the need for transformational leadership to ensure its future. Patricia Scotland’s combination of intellect, talents, experience and strength of character were, he said, the ideal combination for the job.”
He said that the duality of her background and career was also a unique asset in the task of fostering trust and finding common ground.
Skerrit, the release said, urged Commonwealth leaders to make their choice strictly on the basis of merit and to do careful due diligence on all candidates.
Support for a Commonwealth SG candidate has seen a deep division in Caricom which several meetings have not settled. Antigua and Barbuda has nominated its Guyanese-born diplomat Ron Sanders and Trinidad has put forward Dr Bhoe Tewarie.
Scotland’s British peerage and her service in several UK government posts has led to arguments that she should not be considered as a Caricom nominee.
