Politics of Trinidad and Tobago

Government

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is a unitary state, with a parliamentary democracy modelled on that of the UK, from whom it gained independence in 1962. Under the 1976 republican Constitution, the British monarch was replaced as head of state by a President chosen by an electoral college composed of the members of the bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The country has remained a member of the Commonwealth, and until 2003 has retained the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London as its highest court of appeal. The general direction and control of the government rests with the Cabinet, led by a Prime Minister and answerable to the House of Representatives. The 36 members of the House are elected to terms of at least 5 years. Elections may be called earlier by the president at the request of the prime minister or after a vote of no confidence in the House of Representatives. In 1976, the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18. The Senate's 31 members are appointed by the President: 16 on the advice of the prime minister, six on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and nine independents selected by the President from among outstanding members of the community. Trinidad's seven counties and four largest cities are administered by elected councils. Tobago was given a measure of self-government in 1980 and is governed by the Tobago House of Assembly. In 1996, Parliament passed legislation which gave Tobago greater self-government. Party politics have generally run along ethnic lines, with Afro-Trinidadians supporting the People's National Movement (PNM) and Indo-Trinidadians supporting various Indian-majority parties, such as the United National Congress (UNC) or its predecessors. Most political parties, however, have sought to broaden their purview. The country's highest court is the Court of Appeals, whose chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and leader of the opposition. Final appeal on some matters is decided by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. Trinidad and Tobago was chosen by its Caribbean neighbors (CARICOM) to be the headquarters site of a contemplated Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to replace the Privy Council in the fall of 2003. \nCountry name:\n
conventional long form:\nRepublic of Trinidad and Tobago\n
conventional short form:\nTrinidad and Tobago\n

Data code:\nTD\n

Government type:\nparliamentary democracy\n

Capital:\nPort-of-Spain\n

Administrative divisions:\n8 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\n

Independence:\n31 August 1962 (from UK)\n

National holiday:\nIndependence Day, 31 August (1962)\nRepublic Day, 24 September (1976)\n

Constitution:\n1 August 1976\n

Legal system:\nbased on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction\n

Suffrage:\n18 years of age; universal\n

Executive branch:\n
chief of state:\nPresident Maxwell Richards (since 2003)\n
head of government:\nPrime Minister Patrick Manning (since December 2000)\n
cabinet:\nCabinet appointed from among the Members of Parliament which constitutes elected Members of the House of Representatives and appointed Members of the Senate\n
Elections:\nPresident 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 2001 (next to be held by 2006); 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\n
Election Results:\nMaxwell Richards elected president;\n

Legislative branch:\nbicameral 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)\n
elections:\nHouse of Representatives - last held 2001 (next to be held by 2006)\n
election results:\nHouse of Representatives - seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16, NAR 0, independent 0; \n
note:\nTobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members serving four-year terms\n

Judicial branch:\nSupreme Court comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals, judges are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister\n

Political parties and leaders:\nMovement for Social Transformation or MOTION [David ABDULLAH]; Movement for Unity and Progress or MUP [Hulsie BHAGGAN]; National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [leader NA]; National Development Party or NDP [Carson CHARLES]; National Joint Action Committee or NJAC [Makandal DAAGA]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]\n

Political pressure groups and leaders:\nJamaat Al Musilmeen [Abu BAKR]\n

International organization participation:\nACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Flag description:\nred with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side

External links

\n* Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago\n* coat of arms