Short facts about the government of Trinidad and Tobago
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Republic of Trinidad and
Tobago
conventional short form: Trinidad and
Tobago |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary
democracy |
| Administrative divisions: |
8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1
ward**; Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint
David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**,
Victoria |
| Independence: |
31 August 1962 (from
UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 31 August
(1962) |
| Constitution: |
1 August
1976 |
| Legal
system: |
based on English common law; judicial
review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON (since 19 March
1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Basdeo PANDAY (since 9
November 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members
of Parliament
elections: president elected by an electoral
college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of
Representatives, for a five-year term; election last held 11 December 2000 (next
to be held by NA 2005); prime minister appointed from among the members of
Parliament; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in
the House of Representatives is usually appointed prime
minister
election results: Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON
elected president; percent of electoral college vote -
69% |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral Parliament consists of the
Senate (31 seats; members appointed by the president for a maximum term of five
years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of
Representatives - last held 11 December 2000 (next to be held by December
2005)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of
vote - UNC 58.1%, PNM 40.8%, NAR 1.1%; seats by party - UNC 19, PNM 16, NAR
1
note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15
members serving four-year terms |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised
of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is
appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and the leader of
the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of
the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Court of
Appeals; The Majistracy (hears minor civil cases and summary criminal
cases) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
National Alliance for Reconstruction or
NAR [Hochay CHARLES]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [leader NA]; People's
National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; United National Congress or UNC
[Basdeo PANDAY] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Jamaat Al Musilmeen [Abu
BAKR] |
| International organization participation: |
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO,
G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 1708 Massachusetts
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202)
467-6490
FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130
consulate(s)
general: Miami and New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Edward E. SHUMAKER, III (until April,
2001)
embassy: 15 Queen's Park West,
Port-of-Spain
mailing address: P. O. Box 752,
Port-of-Spain
telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376,
6176
FAX: [1] (868)
628-5462 |
| Flag
description: |
red with a white-edged black diagonal
band from the upper hoist side | Source: World Factbook |
