Government and Politics
The capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is Kingstown. The country is a sovereign parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth Realm. The executive branch of government includes the Governor General (representing the head of state Elizabeth II), the prime minister (head of government) and the cabinet. The current Prime Minister is Ralph Gonsalves.
The legislative branch of government is the unicameral House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, seating 15 elected members representing single-member constiuencies and six appointed members known as Senators.
The judicial branch of government is divided into district courts, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and the Privy Council in London being the court of last resort.
The parliamentary term of office is five years, although the Prime Minister may call elections at any time. The political parties with parliamentary representation are the New Democratic Party NDP and the Unity Labour Party (ULP).
Read more about this topic: Saint Vincent (island)
Famous quotes containing the words government and/or politics:
“What makes the United States government, on the whole, more tolerableI mean for us lucky white menis the fact that there is so much less of government with us.... But in Canada you are reminded of the government every day. It parades itself before you. It is not content to be the servant, but will be the master; and every day it goes out to the Plains of Abraham or to the Champs de Mars and exhibits itself and toots.”
—Henry David Thoreau (18171862)
“Every two years the American politics industry fills the airwaves with the most virulent, scurrilous, wall-to-wall character assassination of nearly every political practitioner in the countryand then declares itself puzzled that America has lost trust in its politicians.”
—Charles Krauthammer (b. 1950)