| Country name: |
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
| Government type: |
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth
|
| 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: |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989)
head of government:
Prime Minister Ralph GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)
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
|
| 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)
elections:
last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by NA March 2006)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3
|
| Judicial branch: |
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
|
| Political parties and leaders: |
National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken BOYEA]; 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)
|
| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA
|
| International organization participation: |
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 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
|
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ellsworth JOHN
chancery:
3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone:
[1] (202) 364-6730
FAX:
[1] (202) 364-6736
|
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
| 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
|
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