In a formal announcement held at the Alliance Française this Thursday, veteran Dominican healthcare professional Martha Augustus accepted the United Workers Party (UWP) nomination to stand as its candidate for the Roseau South Constituency ahead of upcoming elections. With a tone grounded in humility and clear sense of purpose, Augustus framed her candidacy as a response to unmet needs across the constituency and the nation at large.
Augustus brings nearly 15 years of on-the-ground experience as a pharmacist serving communities across Dominica. Raised in Newtown from the age of four before pursuing higher education abroad, she made the deliberate choice to reject the stability of life in the diaspora, returning home with a stated mission to lift up and advocate for her fellow citizens.
Explaining her decision to run with the UWP, Augustus drew on her frontline experience in healthcare that has given her an unfiltered view of the daily hardships facing Dominican families. Over her career, she has walked alongside hundreds of households through crisis, hearing countless stories of financial strain, sacrifice, and unfulfilled hope. She has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of drug abuse on Dominican youth, noting that too many promising young lives have been destroyed, leaving helpless families to cope with the aftermath.
Beyond the drug crisis, Augustus argued that current national leadership lacks a coherent, forward-thinking vision for youth development and children’s cultural programming. She emphasized that this gap has created a quiet crisis that demands urgent action, noting that young Dominicans desperately need targeted support and investment to secure their futures.
Augustus argued that the current administration’s lack of long-term foresight has put Dominica’s future at substantial risk. Positioning herself as a people-centered advocate, she pledged to be a reliable voice for Roseau South that prioritizes the needs of ordinary constituents over political interests. She stressed that residents of the constituency, and all Dominicans, deserve far better than the status quo: a responsive government that listens to public concerns, makes strategic plans for long-term growth, and expands economic and social opportunities for every citizen, regardless of background.
Ending her remarks with a call for change, Augustus urged voters to support her and the UWP, led by party head Dr. Thomson Fontaine, to deliver the new direction Dominica needs. “I am ready to start with you, to speak for you, and to be the trusted voice Roseau South has been missing,” she said.