Vernon Lorden Shaw was the fifth President of Dominica. He is an alumnus of the Dominica Grammar School

Dominica Grammar School

The Dominica Grammar School is a public co-education secondary school in Roseau, Dominica, established in 1893. Contrary to its name the school no longer functions as a 'grammar school' as it has expanded its curriculum beyond its historical scope.-History:...

 and Trinity College, Oxford

Trinity College, Oxford

The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...

. He was a career civil servant, rising to the post of Cabinet Secretary

Cabinet Secretary

A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...

 in 1977, and retiring in 1990. He was elected to a five-year term by the House of Assembly

House of Assembly of Dominica

The House of Assembly is the legislature of Dominica. It is established by Chapter III of the Constitution of Dominica, and together with the President of Dominica constitutes Dominica's Parliament. The House is unicameral, and consists of twenty-one Representatives, nine Senators, and an...

 on October 2, 1998, as the candidate of the United Workers' Party

United Workers' Party (Dominica)

The United Workers' Party is a centrist political party in Dominica. As of the 2009 general election, it is the only opposition party represented in the House of Assembly of Dominica, holding three of the twenty-one seats...

 (UWP). The secret ballot, party-line vote was 18-13. He took office on October 6, 1998, following the expiration of President Crispin Sorhaindo

Crispin Sorhaindo

Crispin Anselm Sorhaindo OBE was the fourth President of Dominica. He served from October 25, 1993 until October 5, 1998....

's single five-year term. Shaw left office on October 1, 2003, and was succeeded by Nicholas Liverpool

Nicholas Liverpool

Nicholas Joseph Orville Liverpool is a Dominican politician and jurist who has served as the sixth President of Dominica since October 2, 2003....

.