Francis Osborne Riviere is a former Foreign Minister of Dominica.

Early life and education

Francis Osborne Riviere was educated at the Dominica Grammar School after receiving a country scholarship. He received degrees from the University of the West Indies and the University of Dublin.

Career

Between 1996 and 2000 Riviere was appointed an opposition senator in Parliament and became an elected member after winning the Colihaut seat in 2000. He served as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Marketing from 18 January 2OOO to 8 May 2OO5 in the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) administration led by former Prime Minister Pierre Charles. He had previously been Trade Minister.

He acted as Prime Minister in November 2003, after Pierre Charles was taken ill. Charles died on 6 January 2004. Osborne acted as Prime Minister after the death of Prime Minister Charles and until Roosevelt Skerrit assumed the Prime Ministership two days later.

He decided to retire from active politics following the 2005 General Election. Riviere served as a member of the Dominica Labour Party.

Death

Riviere died on 23 November 2017, in Martinique where he had been receiving medical attention. He was 85. His body was laid to rest on Thursday, 7 December 2017 following an Official Funeral in Colihaut, Dominica.