Politics of Antigua and Barbuda
Encyclopedia
The politics of Antigua and Barbuda takes place in a framework of a federal
parliamentary
representative democratic
monarchy
, wherein the Sovereign of Antigua and Barbuda is the head of state
, appointing a Governor-General to act as vice-regal
representative in the nation. A Prime Minister is appointed by the Governor-General as the head of government
, and of a multi-party system
; the Prime Minister advises the Governor-General on the appointment of a Council of Ministers. Executive power
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
and the two chambers of the Parliament
. The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (seventeen-member body appointed by the Governor General) and the House of Representatives (seventeen seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms).
Antigua and Barbuda has a long history of free elections, three of which have resulted in peaceful changes of government. Since the 1951 general election
, the party system has been dominated by the personalist Antigua Labour Party
(ALP), dominated by the Bird family, particularly Prime Ministers Vere
and Lester Bird
. The opposition claimed to be disadvantaged by the ALP's longstanding monopoly on patronage and its control of the media, especially in the 1999 general election. The most recent elections
to the House of Representatives were held on 12 March 2009. The United Progressive Party
government was re-elected with nine seats and supported by the sole member from Barbuda, affiliated to the Barbuda People's Movement
. The Antigua Labour Party has seven seats in the House of Representatives.
Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the eastern Caribbean court system. The Judiciary
is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Jurisprudence is based on English common law
.
is represented in Antigua and Barbuda
by a governor general who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet.
|Queen
|Elizabeth II
|
|6 February 1952
|-
|Governor-General
|Louise Lake-Tack
|
|17 July 1993
|-
|Prime Minister
|Baldwin Spencer
|UPP
|March 2004
|}
. Parliament
has two chambers
. The House of Representatives
has 19 members, 17 members elected for a five year term in single-seat constituencies, 1 ex-officio member and 1 Speaker. The Senate
has 17 appointed members. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House and conducts affairs of state with the cabinet. The prime minister and the cabinet are responsible to the Parliament. Elections must be held at least every five years but may be called by the prime minister at any time.
There are special legislative provisions to account for Barbuda
's low population relative to that of Antigua
. Barbuda is guaranteed one member of the House of Representatives and two members of the Senate. In addition, there is a Barbuda Council
to govern the internal affairs of the island.
. This court is headquartered in Saint Lucia, but at least one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Antigua and Barbuda, and presides over the High Court of Justice. The current High Court judges are The Hon. David Courtenay Harris
, The Hon. Francis Mortimer Cumberbatch, and The Hon. Mario Michel.
Antigua is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
, although it has not yet acceeded to Part III of the 2001 Agreement Establishing a Caribbean Court of Justice. Its supreme appellate court
therefore remains the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
. Indeed, of the signatories to the Agreement, as of December, 2010, only Barbados has replaced appeals to Her Majesty in Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice
.
In addition to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
, Antigua and Barbuda has a Magistrates' Court, which deals with lesser civil and criminal cases.
, C
, Caricom, CDB
, ECLAC, FAO
, G-77
, IBRD, ICAO, ICC
, ICFTU, ICRM
, IFAD, IFC
, IFRCS, ILO
, IMF
, IMO
, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), Interpol
, IOC, ITU
, NAM
(observer), OAS
, OECS, OPANAL
, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO
, UPU
, WCL
, WFTU
, WHO
, WMO, WTrO
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
parliamentary
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
representative democratic
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
, wherein the Sovereign of Antigua and Barbuda is the head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
, appointing a Governor-General to act as vice-regal
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
representative in the nation. A Prime Minister is appointed by the Governor-General as the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
, and of a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
; the Prime Minister advises the Governor-General on the appointment of a Council of Ministers. Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and the two chambers of the Parliament
Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda
The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda consists of:*HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Antigua and Barbuda*The Senate *The House of Representatives -External links:**...
. The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (seventeen-member body appointed by the Governor General) and the House of Representatives (seventeen seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms).
Antigua and Barbuda has a long history of free elections, three of which have resulted in peaceful changes of government. Since the 1951 general election
Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1951
General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 20 December 1951. The election was the first in Antigua and Barbuda to be held under universal suffrage. Vere Bird formed the Antigua Labour Party in 1951 and led the party to victory, winning all 8 seats on the legislative council. Voter...
, the party system has been dominated by the personalist Antigua Labour Party
Antigua Labour Party
The Antigua Labour Party is the former ruling political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It has long been led by Lester Bird, who was chairman of the party since 1971, and became Prime Minister and political leader in 1994. The party was founded by Lester's father, V.C. Bird...
(ALP), dominated by the Bird family, particularly Prime Ministers Vere
Vere Bird
Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Sr. was the first Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. His son, Lester Bryant Bird, succeeded him as Prime Minister. In 1994 he was declared a national hero....
and Lester Bird
Lester Bird
Lester Bryant Bird was the second Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda from 1994 to 2004 and a well-known athlete. He was chairman of the Antigua Labour Party from 1971 to 1993, then became Prime Minister when his father, Vere Bird, the previous Prime Minister, resigned.Bird was born on February...
. The opposition claimed to be disadvantaged by the ALP's longstanding monopoly on patronage and its control of the media, especially in the 1999 general election. The most recent elections
Antigua and Barbuda general election, 2009
The Antigua and Barbuda general election of 2009 was held on 12 March 2009. The United Progressive Party government was re-elected with a reduced majority...
to the House of Representatives were held on 12 March 2009. The United Progressive Party
United Progressive Party (Antigua and Barbuda)
The United Progressive Party is a political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It is led by Baldwin Spencer, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and has the majority of seats in the Antiguan House of Representatives.-Foundation:...
government was re-elected with nine seats and supported by the sole member from Barbuda, affiliated to the Barbuda People's Movement
Barbuda People's Movement
The Barbuda People's Movement is a political party in Antigua and Barbuda allied with the ruling United Progressive Party.-History:The party first contested a general election in 1989, in which they won a single seat. They held the seat in the 1994 and 1999. In the 2004 elections the candidates of...
. The Antigua Labour Party has seven seats in the House of Representatives.
Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the eastern Caribbean court system. The Judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Jurisprudence is based on English common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
.
Executive branch
As head of state, Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
is represented in Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
by a governor general who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet.
|Queen
Monarch of Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is a constitutional monarchy and a Commonwealth realm, with Queen Elizabeth II as its reigning monarch since November 1, 1981...
|Elizabeth II
|
|6 February 1952
|-
|Governor-General
|Louise Lake-Tack
Louise Lake-Tack
Dame Louise Agnetha Lake-Tack, GCMG, DStJ is the current Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda.-Background and earlier career:...
|
|17 July 1993
|-
|Prime Minister
|Baldwin Spencer
Baldwin Spencer
Winston Baldwin Spencer is the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. He has been Prime Minister since March 24, 2004, when his party, the United Progressive Party , which he had led as the opposition party for several years, won a parliamentary election...
|UPP
United Progressive Party (Antigua and Barbuda)
The United Progressive Party is a political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It is led by Baldwin Spencer, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and has the majority of seats in the Antiguan House of Representatives.-Foundation:...
|March 2004
|}
Legislative branch
Antigua and Barbuda elects on national level a legislatureLegislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. Parliament
Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda
The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda consists of:*HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Antigua and Barbuda*The Senate *The House of Representatives -External links:**...
has two chambers
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
. The House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda
The House of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral parliament.The current House of Representatives, formed following elections held on 12 March 2009, has a total of 19 members. 17 members are directly elected to five year terms from single member...
has 19 members, 17 members elected for a five year term in single-seat constituencies, 1 ex-officio member and 1 Speaker. The Senate
Senate of Antigua and Barbuda
The Senate is the Upper House of Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda. It consists of 17 members appointed by the Governor General. Ten Members are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, four on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, one on the advice of the Barbuda Council, one resident...
has 17 appointed members. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House and conducts affairs of state with the cabinet. The prime minister and the cabinet are responsible to the Parliament. Elections must be held at least every five years but may be called by the prime minister at any time.
There are special legislative provisions to account for Barbuda
Barbuda
Barbuda is an island in the Eastern Caribbean, and forms part of the state of Antigua and Barbuda. It has a population of about 1,500, most of whom live in the town of Codrington.-Location:...
's low population relative to that of Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
. Barbuda is guaranteed one member of the House of Representatives and two members of the Senate. In addition, there is a Barbuda Council
Barbuda Council
The Barbuda Council is a local authority that manages day-to-day internal affairs on the island of Barbuda. The council administers and regulates agriculture, forestry, public health, public utilities, and roads...
to govern the internal affairs of the island.
Political parties and elections
- More info: Antigua and Barbuda general election, 2009Antigua and Barbuda general election, 2009The Antigua and Barbuda general election of 2009 was held on 12 March 2009. The United Progressive Party government was re-elected with a reduced majority...
Administrative divisions
6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint PhilipJudicial branch
Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme CourtEastern Caribbean Supreme Court
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court is a superior Court of record for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , including six independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British...
. This court is headquartered in Saint Lucia, but at least one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Antigua and Barbuda, and presides over the High Court of Justice. The current High Court judges are The Hon. David Courtenay Harris
David Courtenay Harris
David Courtenay Harris is a High Court Judge on the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. A native of Dominica, he has represented Antigua and Barbuda on the court since 2007; currently he serves alongside Mario Michel. He is a graduate of the University of Windsor in Ontario.-References:*...
, The Hon. Francis Mortimer Cumberbatch, and The Hon. Mario Michel.
Antigua is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
Caribbean Court of Justice
The Caribbean Court of Justice is the judicial institution of the Caribbean Community . Established in 2001, it is based in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago....
, although it has not yet acceeded to Part III of the 2001 Agreement Establishing a Caribbean Court of Justice. Its supreme appellate court
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
therefore remains the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. Established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 to hear appeals formerly heard by the King in Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is one of the highest courts in the United...
. Indeed, of the signatories to the Agreement, as of December, 2010, only Barbados has replaced appeals to Her Majesty in Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice
Caribbean Court of Justice
The Caribbean Court of Justice is the judicial institution of the Caribbean Community . Established in 2001, it is based in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago....
.
In addition to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court is a superior Court of record for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , including six independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British...
, Antigua and Barbuda has a Magistrates' Court, which deals with lesser civil and criminal cases.
Political pressure groups and leaders
Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]International organization participation
ACPACP countries
The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States is a group of countries , created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. The group's main objectives are sustainable development and poverty reduction within its member states, as well as their greater integration into the world's economy...
, C
C
Ĉ or ĉ is a consonant in Esperanto orthography, representing the sound .Esperanto orthography uses a diacritic for all four of its postalveolar consonants, as do the Latin-based Slavic alphabets...
, Caricom, CDB
Caribbean Development Bank
The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries...
, ECLAC, FAO
Fão
Fão is a town in Esposende Municipality in Portugal....
, G-77
Group of 77
The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to promote its members' collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations. There were 77 founding members of the organization, but the organization has...
, IBRD, ICAO, ICC
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
, ICFTU, ICRM
ICRM
ICRM may refer to:* International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, an international humanitarian movement* International Cliff Richard Movement, a fan club for English musician Cliff Richard...
, IFAD, IFC
International Finance Corporation
The International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....
, IFRCS, ILO
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
, IMF
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
, IMO
IMO
The three-letter acronym IMO may refer to:* International Mathematical Olympiad* International Maritime Organization** IMO ship identification number, unique identity numbers issued to seacraft * International Meteorological Organization...
, Intelsat
Intelsat
Intelsat, Ltd. is a communications satellite services provider.Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization , it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellites providing international broadcast...
(nonsignatory user), Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
, IOC, ITU
Itu
Itu is an old and historic municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2009 was 157,384 and the area is 641.68 km². The elevation is 583 m. This place name comes from the Tupi language, meaning big waterfall. Itu is linked with the highway numbered the SP-75 and are flowed...
, NAM
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
(observer), OAS
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
, OECS, OPANAL
OPANAL
The OPANAL is an international organization which promotes nuclear disarmament...
, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, UPU
Upu
Upu, also called Apu , was the region surrounding Damascus of the 1350 BC Amarna letters. Damascus was named Dimašqu/Dimasqu/ etc. Upu, also called Apu (and Ubi or Upi by some authors), was the region surrounding Damascus of the 1350 BC Amarna letters. Damascus was named Dimašqu/Dimasqu/ etc. Upu,...
, WCL
WCL
WCL may stand for:* Washington College of Law, American University's law school in Washington, D.C.* Wellington City Libraries, the Wellington public libraries * West Coast League, Summer baseball league in the Pacific Northwest...
, WFTU
World Federation of Trade Unions
The World Federation of Trade Unions was established in 1945 to replace the International Federation of Trade Unions. Its mission was to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations...
, WHO
Who
Who may refer to:* Who , an English-language pronoun* who , a Unix command* Who?, one of the Five Ws in journalism- Art and entertainment :* Who? , a 1958 novel by Algis Budrys...
, WMO, WTrO
WTRO
WTRO may refer to* WTRO , a radio station licensed to Dyersburg, Tennessee, United States* W.T.R.O., song by Paul Gilbert* World Trade Organization...