Edison Chenfil James is a Dominican politician and was the prime minister of Dominica from 14 June 1995 to 3 February 2000.

Early life and education

Born in Margot on 18 October 1943 to David and Patricia James, Edison received his early education at the Marigot Government School and the Dominica Grammar School. He then went to the United Kingdom in 1964 where he worked in the British Civil Service, and studied at the North East London Polytechnic, the University of Reading and Imperial College (University of London). From these institutions he obtained in turn a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Botany and Biochemistry; M.Sc. degree in the Technology of Crop Protection and a post-graduate diploma in Pest Management. He also attended courses in Project Management.

Career

On his return to Dominica in 1973, he taught at the St. Mary’s Academy, and worked with the Division of Agriculture at the Wet Area Experiment Station, and with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) as Farm Improvement Officer attached to the Agricultural and Industrial Development Bank of Dominica. He was the first co-ordinator of the Coconut Rehabilitation and Development Project. He was also general manager of the Dominica Banana Growers Association (DBGA) and then the newly established Dominica Banana Marketing Corporation (DBMC).
 
In 1988 James lead the formation of Dominica's newest political party, the United Workers Party (UWP). In the 1990 elections, his party won 6 seats and succeeded in winning 11 seats at the 1995 elections to form the government with James as Prime Minister.

Allegations of corruption dogged his reelection campaign in 2000, and his party lost after calling elections six months early. He remains as Opposition Leader and is once more contending in the 2005 general elections.

In the May 2005 elections, the party conducted a vigorous campaign but they lost one seat in parliament. James continued on as leader of the opposition. In July 2005 James was appointed to the CARICOM leaders of government and parliamentary opposition parties committee. However in December 2005, he did not seek re-election as party leader and he was replaced as leader by Earl Williams. In July 2007 he ceded the office of Leader of the Opposition to Williams.