Eileen Alix Boyd Knights is a Dominican politician and attorney who is the current Speaker of the House of Assembly.

Early life and education

Eileen Alix Boyd Knights received her secondary education from the Convent High School in Dominica (1953-1960). She later attended the Leeds College of Technology, England (1962-1963). She holds a LLB (Hons) degree from the University of the West Indies, Barbados (1986-1988) and Certificate of Legal Education from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago (1988-1990).

Career

Mrs. Alix Boyd Knights has served the Commonwealth of Dominica in various fields in the private and public sectors over fifty (50) years. She has served as Attorney-at-Law since 1990 and has become known as a leading advocate for the rights of women and children and in so doing championed the passage of laws dealing with the family, domestic violence, sexual offences and children rights.

Mrs. Boyd Knights working life started as a Bank Clerk at Royal Bank of Canada in Dominica (1960-1961). She was a Home Economics Teacher at Castries Comprehensive School in St. Lucia from 1971 to 1972 before becoming Owner/Tutor of Knights Cookery School in St. Lucia (1972-1986).

After her university studies, Mrs. Boyd Knights became an Attorney-at-Law and Owner of Knights Chambers in Dominica. She has been practing law since 1990.

Boyd Knights was first elected Speaker on 17 April 2000 and was re-elected on 27 July 2005. Upon her election to a third term on 4 February 2010, she became the longest serving Speaker in Dominica's history. On  Friday, 20 February 2015, she was officially re-elected to a fourth term as Speaker during the First Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament.

She has also served as Chairperson of Committees of the House of Assembly (2000-present); Chairperson of the Constituency Boundaries Commission (2000-present); and a member of the Privileges, Standing Orders, and Parliamentary Proceedings Broadcasting Committees.

She is the President of the Dominica Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and Chairperson of the International Body of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians. She has organised many Youth Parliaments in Dominica and have brought the Commonwealth into focus through organizing Commonwealth Day activities.

Boyd Kinghts is the author of several papers and articles in the area of: legislation and the formation of society, family laws and land laws, women’s rights, rights of children, and domestic violence. She also co- authored the book "Women in Parliament Dominica, Past and Present."

Personal life

Mrs Boyd- Knights is a mother of three and grandmother of five.

Honours and awards

On 3 November 2013, Mrs.Boyd Knights was the recipient of the Sisserou Award of Honour  for Parliamentary Service in the Independence Day Honours. The Sisserou is Dominica's second highest award.