Dr. William Emmanuel “Para” Riviere
Dr. William Emmanuel “Para” Riviere (1940–2021) was a distinguished Dominican historian, attorney-at-law, university lecturer, and political activist whose life and work significantly influenced Dominica’s post-independence political and legal sphere.
Early Life and Education of William Emmanuel “Para” Riviere
Born on April 19, 1940, in Portsmouth, Dominica, Dr. Riviere was the youngest of six children of Leonce Alexander Riviere, a headmaster and district education officer, and Mary Uella Riviere. His family’s emphasis on education and public service profoundly shaped his path.
Dr. Riviere received his early education in Dominica, attending the Portsmouth Government School and subsequently the Dominica Grammar School. His academic excellence was evident from a young age; he qualified to enter the Dominica Grammar School at nine. He later won the Island Scholarship, which enabled him to pursue higher education abroad.
Dr. Riviere pursued higher education with distinction. He earned a Bachelor of Arts with honours in History from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Jamaica. He furthered his studies in the United Kingdom, obtaining a Ph.D. in Economic History from the University of Glasgow. Later, he acquired an LLB (Hons) from the University of London and a Legal Education Certificate (LEC) from the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, qualifying him to practice law in the Caribbean.
Academic and Professional Career
His commitment to education and scholarship marked Dr. Riviere’s academic career. He taught history at UWI’s Mona and St. Augustine campuses and was a Research Fellow at the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at UWI, Mona. His teaching extended to the United States, where he held positions at Cornell University and various colleges within the City University of New York (CUNY) system.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Dr. Riviere practised law in Dominica, contributing to the legal fraternity and serving as counsel in various legal matters.
Political Activism and Leadership
A firm dedication to social equity and national advancement shaped Dr. Riviere’s activism. During the 1970s, he supported the Black Power Movement and regional liberation initiatives. A founding voice in the Movement for a New Dominica, he championed fairer social and economic structures and the island’s independence.
He later established the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which built on this foundation and gained rural support. The PDP partnered with groups like the Popular Independence Committee, the Dominica Democratic Alliance (DDA), and the Working People’s Vanguard (WPV) to create the Dominica Liberation Movement Alliance (DLMA) in 1979, in part to avoid repeating the May 29th 1979 Uprising.
The DLMA emerged as a coalition advocating for major political and economic reform in opposition to the Dominica Labour Party. Though it won 8.42% of the popular vote in the 1980 general elections, the alliance secured no parliamentary seats.
In 2009, Dr. Riviere contested the Cottage constituency as the leader of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) but was not elected.
Publications and Legal Education
Dr. Riviere was dedicated to demystifying legal concepts for the general public. In 2017, he published two books: “Handbook of Dominica Law” and “Our Constitution: Democracy or One-man Rule.” These works aimed to make legal knowledge accessible to non-specialists and to promote civic education.
Legacy
Dr. William “Para” Riviere passed away on November 30, 2021, at the age of 81. He was remembered as a patriot who dedicated his life to education, legal empowerment, and the political advancement of Dominica. His contributions continue to inspire future generations committed to social justice and national development.