Short facts about the government of Guyana
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Co-operative Republic of
Guyana
conventional short form: Guyana
former:
British Guiana |
| Government
type: |
republic within the
Commonwealth |
| Administrative divisions: |
10 regions; Barima-Waini,
Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo
Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni,
Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper
Essequibo |
| Independence: |
26 May 1966 (from
UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Republic Day, 23 February
(1970) |
| Constitution: |
6 October
1980 |
| Legal
system: |
based on English common law with
certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed
presidency after resignation of President JAGAN
head of
government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December
1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,
responsible to the legislature
elections: president elected by
the majority party in the National Assembly following legislative elections,
which must be held at least every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001
(next to be held NA); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected;
percent of legislative vote - NA% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral National Assembly (65 seats,
53 elected by popular vote, 10 elected by the ten Regional Democratic Councils,
and 2 elected by the National Congress of Local Democratic Organs; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be
held NA March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF
1 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial
Court of Appeal; High Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes
Guyana Labor Party or GLP and Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert
ROOPNARINE]; Guyana Action Party or GAP [leader NA]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP
[leader NA]; People's National Congress or PNC [Hugh Desmond HOYTE]; People's
Progressive Party or PPP [Janet JAGEN]; Rise, Organize and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi
DEV]; The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA
[Rupert ROOPARNINE] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Civil Liberties Action Committee or
CLAC; Guyana Council of Indian Organizations or GCIO; Rise, Organize and Rebuild
or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; Trades Union Congress or TUC
note: the GCIO
and the CLAC are small and active but not well
organized |
| International organization participation: |
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM,
OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
chancery: 2490
Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202)
265-6900
consulate(s) general: New
York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ronald D. GODARD
embassy: 100 Young and
Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box
10507, Georgetown
telephone: [592] (2) 54900 through 54909, 57960
through 57969
FAX: [592] (2)
58497 |
| Flag
description: |
green, with a red isosceles triangle
(based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a
narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border
between the yellow and the green | Source: World Factbook |
