Salybia Constituency

The Salybia Constituency is one of the most distinctive electoral districts in Dominica. It encompasses the island’s only legally recognised Indigenous territory, the Kalinago Territory. Located along the east coast, this constituency is renowned for its cultural heritage, communal land governance, and scenic natural environment, making it an area of significant national and international interest.

Geographic and Community Overview of the Salybia Constituency

The Salybia Constituency is situated in the Saint David Parish on Dominica’s Atlantic-facing east coast.

The terrain is characterized by lush rainforests, river valleys, and coastal cliffs. Key communities within the constituency include Salybia, Gaulette River, Crayfish River, Bataka, Sineku, St. Cyr, Mahaut River, Concord and non-indegenous communities like Atkinson. The Kalinago Territory, formerly called the Carib Reserve, spans over 3,700 acres and is home to more than 3,000 people, making it the largest remaining Indigenous enclave in the Eastern Caribbean.

Geographic Boundaries:

• North: Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, with coastal exposure stretching from Pagua Bay to the coastal cliffs at Pointe Gombo and Pointe Des Hertes.
• South: Shares internal land boundaries with the Castle Bruce Constituency, separated by ridges near Morne Fraser.
• West: Meets the Marigot Constituency at its eastern boundry within the Central Forest Reserve.
• East: The coastline of the Atlantic forms the eastern boundary, providing fishing access and influencing the marine biodiversity and livelihood practices of the constituency.

This region is characterized by winding river valleys such as the Gaulette River, Salybia River, and Mahaut River, and hilltop communities including Sineku, St. Cyr, and Concord. The terrain includes fertile slopes, forested areas, and cultural landmarks like Touna Kalinago Heritage Village, and the Kalinago Barana Autê.

Political Representation

Since Dominica’s independence in 1978, the Salybia Constituency has had a complex electoral history, often dominated by the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) and challenged by the United Workers Party (UWP). Below is a chronological summary of its elected representatives:

• 1980-1985: Matthew Joseph (Dominica Democratic Labour Party – DDLP)
  Advocated for infrastructural access and improved schooling in the Kalinago communities.
• 1985-1990: Ann Timothy (Dominica Freedom Party – DFP)
• 1990-1995: Worrel I. Sanford (Dominica Labour Party – DLP)
• 1995-2000:  Francois Barrie (United Workers Party – UWP)
• 2000-2009: Kelly Graneau (Dominica Labour Party – DLP)
• 2009-2014: Ashton Graneau (Dominica Labour Party – DLP)
  Won a contested seat over Sanford; served as Minister of Carib Affairs and helped develop local tourism and craft initiatives.
• 2014-2019: Casius Darroux (Dominica Labour Party – DLP)
  Promoted eco-tourism and youth entrepreneurship and oversaw improvements in health and primary school infrastructure.
• 2019-Present: Cozier Frederick (Dominica Labour Party – DLP)
  Former lecturer and Kalinago Council member, focusing on climate resilience, digital literacy, and housing projects through national development programs.

These individuals have served as the elected representatives for the Salybia Constituency in the House of Assembly of Dominica. Their tenures reflect the political dynamics and shifts within the constituency over the years.

Historical and Cultural Significance

The Salybia Constituency is the political cradle of Dominica’s Kalinago people, who trace their ancestral roots across the Eastern Caribbean. The area was formally set aside in 1903 as the Carib Reserve, later renamed the Kalinago Territory in 2015. Its governance is shared between the Member of Parliament and the Kalinago Council, the elected Kalinago Chief, elected by the local community under the Kalinago Territory Act.

Natural features such as Isulukati Waterfall, L’Escalier Tête Chien, and the Kalinago Heritage Trail add to the eco-tourism potential of the area. The Waitukubuli National Trail: Segment #6 intersects this constituency, bringing hikers and researchers to explore its biodiversity and Indigenous legacy.

Development and Infrastructure

Major development projects in the constituency have included road realignments along the Concord-Salybia Road, climate-resilient housing initiatives through the Kalinago Resilient Housing Project, and community ICT programs under the Strengthening Community Resilience in the Kalinago Territory (SCR-K) initiative.

Essential public services in the area include:

• Salybia Health Centre and mobile clinics
• Salybia Police Station
• Sineku Primary School and Atkinson Primary School
• Kalinago Council Office
• Community Credit Unions and Artisanal Markets
• Cultural performance stages and youth centers

While internet connectivity and road access remain uneven in more remote areas, solar electrification and catchment water systems have been expanded under disaster-preparedness funding.