Short facts about the government of Barbados
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: none
conventional short form:
Barbados |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary democracy; independent
sovereign state within the Commonwealth |
| Administrative divisions: |
11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint
Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint
Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of Bridgetown
may be given parish status |
| Independence: |
30 November 1966 (from
UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 30 November
(1966) |
| Constitution: |
30 November
1966 |
| Legal
system: |
English common law; no judicial review
of legislative acts |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor
General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)
head of
government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994);
Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September
1994)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is
hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed
by the governor general |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral Parliament consists of the
Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of
Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 20
January 1999 (next to be held by January 2004)
election results:
House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP
2 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are
appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal
Services) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen
ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; National Democratic
Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN];
Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement
[Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George
BELLE] |
| International organization participation: |
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael KING
chancery: 2144 Wyoming
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202)
939-9200
FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
consulate(s)
general: Miami and New York
consulate(s): Los
Angeles |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador James A. DALEY
embassy: Canadian Imperial
Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown
mailing
address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055
telephone:
[1] (246) 436-4950
FAX: [1] (246)
429-5246 |
| Flag
description: |
three equal vertical bands of blue
(hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the
gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past
(the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident) | Source: World Factbook |
