A/HRC/27/9 15. There had been a moratorium in Dominica on the death penalty since 1986. However, popular sentiment favoured the reintroduction of executions in cases of murder. Therefore, the Government had taken the position that the death penalty would remain within the jurisdiction of the judiciary and would continue to be guided by the existing law. The current law on the death penalty was based on the 2003 ruling of the Privy Council of England, which was the final court of appeal for Dominica. In Dominica, the death penalty was the maximum penalty for murder, although it was imposed only in the most serious killings. 16. Dominica promoted freedom of expression, but the views expressed by individuals and groups opposed to the Government must remain within the legal provisions on libel and slander. Journalists must be held responsible within a democracy. Nevertheless, since independence, no criminal charges had been brought for libel or slander. 17. Since 2000, the Government had placed special emphasis on the indigenous people, the Caribs. A Ministry of Carib Affairs had been created to facilitate the delivery of government services, programmes and projects. The residents of the Carib Territory had been the beneficiaries of actions in health care, education, housing, social services, agriculture and tourism development, and of small business support programmes. As a result, Carib people had equal access to government services and, in some cases greater access than the general population of Dominica. 18. Persons living in the Carib Territory had free access to health care, and recent investments had improved local health services. Likewise, the indigenous population throughout Dominica had equal access to education. In particular, Carib children had universal access to secondary education, and post-secondary education had also been provided to Carib students since 2000. 19. Moreover, the Government had constructed 73 houses for families in the Carib Territory over the past 10 years. However, communal ownership of land in that area made it difficult for residents to obtain normal commercial financing for the construction of homes since they had no individual title and land ownership. 20. The Government had invested in special facilities for the showcasing and sale of products from the Carib Territory. Farmers in that area benefited from agricultural assistance, and members of the indigenous population received assistance in the development of small businesses and with employment under the National Employment Programme, the Small Business Support Programme and the Dominica Youth Business Trust. 21. With regard to the participation of women in political life, women in Dominica had gained the right to vote and to contest elections in 1924 and had been serving as elected and appointed members in Parliament for more than 60 years, in opposition and in Government. Women had also served as Prime Minister, Minister, Attorney-General and Speaker of the House of Assembly. Since independence in 1978, 8 women had been elected and 12 nominated to serve in Parliament. For 24 of the ensuing 35 years, women had occupied the position of Speaker of the House of Assembly. Currently, two elected women and one nominated woman were serving in Parliament on the Government side. Two elected women were also serving as senior ministers. The Government would continue to support women in political life. 22. The Constitution of Dominica guaranteed all individuals protection from discrimination based on race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, creed or sex and, also, guaranteed the right of freedom of association. The Government had never used fear or intimidation to prevent defenders of any cause from exercising their rights, and there was no law requiring individuals to state their sexual preference or conscientious position when associating. The relevant legislation only criminalized specific sexual acts, and not what 5