Short facts about the government of Saint Vincent and The Grenadines

Country name:

conventional long form:  none conventional short form:  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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:

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

Source: World Factbook