A former teacher, he first stood for parliament in 1980 as a member of the leftist Dominica Liberation Movement Alliance. He failed, but five years later he won a seat, this time representing the Dominica Labour Party. Charles has pledged to attract foreign investment, create jobs and diversify Dominica's sluggish economy, which relies heavily on tourism and the export of bananas. There is no national television service, but there is a private cable TV network which covers part of the island. Radio consists of a mix of public and private stations.
All media are free from government interference and carry a range of sometimes critical views.