Edison Chenfil James, Political Leader of the United Workers Party, and Parliamentary representative for the Marigot Constituency, served as Leader of the Opposition in the Dominica Parliament from 1990 to 1995. After the UWP won the elections in 1995, Edison James became Prime Minister.

During his tenure as Prime Minister, Edison also held the portfolios of External Affairs, and later Foreign Affairs, Trade and Marketing, and

Legal Affairs, Immigration and Labour.

He has played leading roles on behalf of the region. Within less than one month of taking up office in 1995, he assumed the Chairmanship of CARICOM, and is currently Chairman of the OECS Authority. He is also the Lead Prime Minister spokesman on bananas, was CARICOM representative to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Summit in Zimbabwe in 1997, member of CARICOM’s two-man fact-finding mission to St. Kitts and Nevis, and a member of the Regional Prime Ministerial Sub-Committees on Cricket and External Negotiations. He has played key roles in Dominica’s and the regions negotiations with the US, Canada, South Africa, France, Spain, the UK, the EU as well as with international organizations such as the UN, the FAO and the Commonwealth.

During all this he has remained firmly in touch with the people throughout Dominica and in his constituency, attending and participating in numerous functions including village ceremonies and Council inaugurations as well as visiting the sick and shut-ins.

Born in Margot on 18^th October, 1943 to David and Patricia James, Edison received his early education at the Marigot Government School and the Dominica Grammar School. He then went to the United Kingdom in 1964 where he worked in the British Civil Service, and studied at the North East London Polytechnic, the University of Reading and Imperial College (University of London). From these institutions he obtained in turn a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Botany and Biochemistry; M.Sc. degree in the Technology of Crop Protection and a post-graduate diploma in Pest Management. He also attended courses in Project Management.

On his return home, he taught at the St. Mary’s Academy, and worked with the Division of Agriculture at the Wet Area Experiment Station, and with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) as Farm Improvement Officer attached to the Agricultural and Industrial Development Bank of Dominica. He was the first co-ordinator of the Coconut Rehabilitation and Development Project.

His contribution to the Banana Industry as Chief Executive and General Manager of the Dominica Banana marketing Corporation is well known. He continued his zealous work for Dominica and bananas to the region and the world, and was named by his prime ministerial colleagues CARICOM’s chief spokesman on bananas.

His love for and involvement in sports earned him a place on CARICOM’s prime ministerial committee on cricket.

He had served in the Marigot Banana District Branch of the Dominica Banana Growers Association, the Roseau Credit Union and the Rotary Club. His prime ministerial duties did not prevent him from being taking care of the people of his constituency and to see about their needs.

A truly people’s prime minister.