Politics of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Country name:
Data code:
VC
Government type:
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth
Capital:
Kingstown
Administrative divisions:
6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick
Independence:
27 October 1979 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 October (1979)
Constitution:
27 October 1979
Legal system:
based on English common law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia), one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent
Political parties and leaders:
National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [James F. MITCHELL]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
Flag description:
three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Charles ANTROBUS (since NA)
head of government:
Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections:
last held 15 June 1998 (next to be held by NA May 2003)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 8, ULP 7