Politics of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Encyclopedia
The politics of Saint Kitts and Nevis takes place in the framework of an independent federal
parliamentary democratic Commonwealth Realm
with Queen Elizabeth II
as its head of state
, represented in St. Kitts and Nevis by a governor-general
. He acts on the advice of the prime minister
, who is the majority party leader in the National Assembly
, and who, with a cabinet, conducts affairs of state.
responsible for making laws, and comprising 14 or 15 members depending upon circumstances http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Kitts/kitts83.htmlhttp://www.sknvibes.com/Government/Parliament.cfm. 11 of these are directly elected representatives whilst three are senators appointed by the governor-general
(two on the advice of the prime minister
and the third on the advice of the leader of the opposition
). If the attorney general
isn't appointed as a senator then he automatically gets a seat as one, increasing the number of senators to four. Of the 11 elected members, eight represent constituencies in St. Kitts and the remaining three represent Nevis
seats.
The prime minister is appointed from the representatives by the governor general, who has a constitutional duty to select someone who is likely to command the support of the majority of the representatives. In practice this would normally mean the leader of the majority party or coalition. If there is no suitable candidate, then the governor general can dissolve the assembly and trigger a general election
. Other ministers are also appointed by the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister (and so effectively by the prime minister). The prime minister can be removed from office by the assembly, or by the governor general if he feels that the prime minister no longer enjoys the support of the majority of representatives. The assembly is elected every five years unless the governor general dissolves it before the end of this period, which he may do on the advice of the prime minister.
St. Kitts and Nevis has enjoyed a long history of free and fair elections, although the outcome of elections in 1993 was strongly protested by the opposition and the Eastern Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) was briefly deployed to restore order. The elections in 1995 were contested by the two major parties, the ruling People's Action Movement
(PAM) and the St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party. Labour won seven of the 11 seats, with Dr. Denzil Douglas
becoming prime minister. In the March 2000 elections, Denzil Douglas and the Labour Party were returned to power, winning eight of the 11 seats in the House. The Nevis-based Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) won two seats and the Nevis Reformation Party
(NRP) won one seat. The PAM party was unable to obtain a seat.
Under the constitution, Nevis has considerable autonomy and has an island assembly
, a premier
, and a deputy governor general. Under certain specified conditions, it may secede from the federation. In accordance with its rights under the Constitution
, in 1996 the Nevis Island Administration under the Concerned Citizens' Movement (CCM) of Premier Vance Amory
initiated steps towards secession from the Federation, the most recent being a referendum in 1998
that failed to secure the required two-thirds majority for secession. The March 2000 election results placed Vance Armory, as head of the CCM, the leader of the country's opposition party. In the September 7, 2001 elections in Nevis for the Nevis Island Administration, the CCM won four of the five seats available, while the NRP won one. In 2003, the Nevis Island Administration again proposed secession and initiated formal constitutional procedures to hold a referendum on the issue, which was held in early 2004. While opposing secession, the Government acknowledged the constitutional rights of Nevisians to determine their future independence. Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. The most recent elections in Nevis took place on July 10, 2006. Amory's CCM was defeated by the NRP of Joseph Parry
, winning only two out of the five elective seats. Parry was sworn in as the third Premier of Nevis a day later.
Like its neighbours in the English-speaking Caribbean
, St. Kitts and Nevis has an excellent human rights record. Its judicial system is modeled on British practice and procedure and its jurisprudence on English common law
. The Royal St. Kitts and Nevis Police Force has about 370 members.
is represented by a governor-general who acts on the advice of the prime minister. Following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor-general. All other ministerial appointments, including that of deputy prime minister, are made by the governor-general, but acting upon the advice of the prime minister.
|Queen
|Elizabeth II
|
|February 6, 1952
|-
|Governor-General
|Cuthbert Montraville Sebastian
|
|January 1, 1996
|-
|Prime Minister
|Denzil Douglas
|SKLP
|July 6, 1995
|-
|Deputy Prime Minister
|Sam Condor
|SKLP
|July 6, 1995
|}
consists of one house with 11 elected members, and 3 appointed Senators - two on the advice of the Prime Minister, one on the advice of the Opposition Leader - if the Attorney General is not appointed as a Senator, he sits in the Assembly as an ex-officio member. Despite the difference in titles, Senators do not form a separate house.
); one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts.
: Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capisterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capisterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point.
, CDB
, ECLAC
, FAO
, G-77
, IBRD
, ICFTU
, ICRM
, IDA
, IFAD
, IFC
, IFRCS
, ILO
, IMF
, Interpol
, IOC, NAM OAS
, OECS
, OPANAL
, OPCW
, UN
, UNCTAD
, UNESCO
, UNIDO
, UPU
, WCL
, WHO
, WIPO
, 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 democratic Commonwealth Realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
with Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth 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,...
as its 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...
, represented in St. Kitts and Nevis by a governor-general
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
. He acts on the advice of the prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, who is the majority party leader in the National Assembly
National Assembly of Saint Kitts and Nevis
The National Assembly is the parliament of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Assembly has 14 or 15 members , 11 of whom are elected for a five year term in single-seat constituencies and are known as Representatives. The remaining four are called Senators; three are appointed by the governor-general and...
, and who, with a cabinet, conducts affairs of state.
General Aspects
St. Kitts and Nevis has a single National AssemblyNational Assembly of Saint Kitts and Nevis
The National Assembly is the parliament of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Assembly has 14 or 15 members , 11 of whom are elected for a five year term in single-seat constituencies and are known as Representatives. The remaining four are called Senators; three are appointed by the governor-general and...
responsible for making laws, and comprising 14 or 15 members depending upon circumstances http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Kitts/kitts83.htmlhttp://www.sknvibes.com/Government/Parliament.cfm. 11 of these are directly elected representatives whilst three are senators appointed by the governor-general
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
(two on the advice of the prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and the third on the advice of the leader of the opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
). If the attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
isn't appointed as a senator then he automatically gets a seat as one, increasing the number of senators to four. Of the 11 elected members, eight represent constituencies in St. Kitts and the remaining three represent Nevis
Nevis
Nevis is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 350 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico and 80 km west of Antigua. The 93 km² island is part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies...
seats.
The prime minister is appointed from the representatives by the governor general, who has a constitutional duty to select someone who is likely to command the support of the majority of the representatives. In practice this would normally mean the leader of the majority party or coalition. If there is no suitable candidate, then the governor general can dissolve the assembly and trigger a general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
. Other ministers are also appointed by the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister (and so effectively by the prime minister). The prime minister can be removed from office by the assembly, or by the governor general if he feels that the prime minister no longer enjoys the support of the majority of representatives. The assembly is elected every five years unless the governor general dissolves it before the end of this period, which he may do on the advice of the prime minister.
St. Kitts and Nevis has enjoyed a long history of free and fair elections, although the outcome of elections in 1993 was strongly protested by the opposition and the Eastern Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) was briefly deployed to restore order. The elections in 1995 were contested by the two major parties, the ruling People's Action Movement
People's Action Movement
The People's Action Movement is a political party in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The party currently holds two of the eleven seats in the National Assembly.-History:...
(PAM) and the St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party. Labour won seven of the 11 seats, with Dr. Denzil Douglas
Denzil Douglas
Denzil Llewellyn Douglas has been Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis since July 1995. He leads the Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party. He is the longest serving Prime Minister Saint Kitts and Nevis has ever had....
becoming prime minister. In the March 2000 elections, Denzil Douglas and the Labour Party were returned to power, winning eight of the 11 seats in the House. The Nevis-based Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) won two seats and the Nevis Reformation Party
Nevis Reformation Party
The Nevis Reformation Party is a Nevis-based political party in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Led by Joseph Parry, the party currently holds one of the eleven seats in the National Assembly. It is also the ruling party on Nevis, holding three of the five seats in the Nevis Island Assembly.-History:The...
(NRP) won one seat. The PAM party was unable to obtain a seat.
Under the constitution, Nevis has considerable autonomy and has an island assembly
Nevis Island Assembly
The Nevis Island Assembly is the local legislative body for the island of Nevis.The Assembly has a total of eight members. Five are directly elected in single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post system. Three are appointed...
, a premier
Premier of Nevis
The Premier of Nevis heads the Nevis Island Administration, an autonomous governing body within the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis-List of Premiers of Nevis :...
, and a deputy governor general. Under certain specified conditions, it may secede from the federation. In accordance with its rights under the Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, in 1996 the Nevis Island Administration under the Concerned Citizens' Movement (CCM) of Premier Vance Amory
Vance Amory
Vance Winkworth Amory was the Premier of Nevis from 2 June 1992 to 11 July 2006. He founded and lead the Concerned Citizens' Movement , now chaired by Stedmond Tross. He was a West Indies cricketer who played for the Combined Islands and the Leeward Islands...
initiated steps towards secession from the Federation, the most recent being a referendum in 1998
Nevis independence referendum, 1998
An independence referendum was held in Nevis on 10 August 1998. The independence referendum failed to pass. Although the majority of voters chose independence, a two-thirds majority was necessary for the referendum to succeed...
that failed to secure the required two-thirds majority for secession. The March 2000 election results placed Vance Armory, as head of the CCM, the leader of the country's opposition party. In the September 7, 2001 elections in Nevis for the Nevis Island Administration, the CCM won four of the five seats available, while the NRP won one. In 2003, the Nevis Island Administration again proposed secession and initiated formal constitutional procedures to hold a referendum on the issue, which was held in early 2004. While opposing secession, the Government acknowledged the constitutional rights of Nevisians to determine their future independence. Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. The most recent elections in Nevis took place on July 10, 2006. Amory's CCM was defeated by the NRP of Joseph Parry
Joseph Parry (politician)
Joseph Walcott Parry has been the Premier of Nevis since 11 July 2006. He is the leader of the Nevis Reformation Party .In the 10 July 2006 Island Assembly election, Parry's NRP won three out of five seats, ending the 14-year rule of the Concerned Citizens' Movement .In the 11 July 2011 Island...
, winning only two out of the five elective seats. Parry was sworn in as the third Premier of Nevis a day later.
Like its neighbours in the English-speaking Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, St. Kitts and Nevis has an excellent human rights record. Its judicial system is modeled on British practice and procedure and its jurisprudence 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...
. The Royal St. Kitts and Nevis Police Force has about 370 members.
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 by a governor-general who acts on the advice of the prime minister. Following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor-general. All other ministerial appointments, including that of deputy prime minister, are made by the governor-general, but acting upon the advice of the prime minister.
|Queen
|Elizabeth II
|
|February 6, 1952
|-
|Governor-General
|Cuthbert Montraville Sebastian
Cuthbert Sebastian
Sir Cuthbert Montraville Sebastian, GCMG, OBE , is the Governor-General of St. Kitts and Nevis. He was appointed Governor-General in 1995 and was sworn in on 1 January 1996....
|
|January 1, 1996
|-
|Prime Minister
|Denzil Douglas
Denzil Douglas
Denzil Llewellyn Douglas has been Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis since July 1995. He leads the Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party. He is the longest serving Prime Minister Saint Kitts and Nevis has ever had....
|SKLP
Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party
The Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party is a centre-left political party in Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is currently the ruling party in the country after winnign six of the eleven seats in the 2010 general election.-History:...
|July 6, 1995
|-
|Deputy Prime Minister
|Sam Condor
Sam Condor
Sam Terrence Condor is a Kittitian politician and the current Deputy Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis. In the incumbent administration of Denzil Douglas, Condor is also the Minister of National Security, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Labour, Minister of Immigration and Minister of...
|SKLP
Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party
The Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party is a centre-left political party in Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is currently the ruling party in the country after winnign six of the eleven seats in the 2010 general election.-History:...
|July 6, 1995
|}
Legislative branch
The National Assembly of Saint Kitts and NevisNational Assembly of Saint Kitts and Nevis
The National Assembly is the parliament of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Assembly has 14 or 15 members , 11 of whom are elected for a five year term in single-seat constituencies and are known as Representatives. The remaining four are called Senators; three are appointed by the governor-general and...
consists of one house with 11 elected members, and 3 appointed Senators - two on the advice of the Prime Minister, one on the advice of the Opposition Leader - if the Attorney General is not appointed as a Senator, he sits in the Assembly as an ex-officio member. Despite the difference in titles, Senators do not form a separate house.
Political parties and elections
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint LuciaSaint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
); one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts.
Administrative divisions
The country is divided in 14 parishesParishes of Saint Kitts and Nevis
The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is divided into 14 parishes. Nine parishes are located on the island of Saint Kitts and five on Nevis. The parishes are drawn like pie-slices from the ridgeline of the central mountains of both islands....
: Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capisterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capisterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point.
International organisation participation
ACP, CaricomCaribbean Community
The Caribbean Community is an organisation of 15 Caribbean nations and dependencies. CARICOM's main purposes are to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy...
, 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
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean was established in 1948 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. In 1984, a resolution was passed to include the countries of the Caribbean in the name...
, FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
, 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
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of five institutions that compose the World Bank Group. The IBRD is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by World War II. Now, its mission has expanded to fight...
, ICFTU
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions was an international trade union. It came into being on 7 December 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions , and was dissolved on 31 October 2006 when it merged with the World Confederation of Labour to form the...
, ICRM
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
, IDA
International Development Association
The International Development Association , is the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. It complements the World Bank's other lending arm — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development — which serves middle-income countries with capital investment and...
, IFAD
International Fund for Agricultural Development
The International Fund for Agricultural Development , a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries...
, 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
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
, 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...
, Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
, IOC, NAM OAS
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
, OECS
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , created in 1981, is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance between countries and dependencies in the Eastern Caribbean...
, OPANAL
OPANAL
The OPANAL is an international organization which promotes nuclear disarmament...
, OPCW
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is an intergovernmental organization, located in The Hague, Netherlands. The organization promotes and verifies the adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention which prohibits of the use of chemical weapons and requires their destruction...
, UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, UNCTAD
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
, UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, UNIDO
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization , French/Spanish acronym ONUDI, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system, headquartered in Vienna, Austria...
, UPU
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
, WCL
World Confederation of Labour
The World Confederation of Labour was an international labour organization founded in 1920 and based in Europe. Totalitarian governments of the 1930s repressed the federation and imprisoned many of its leaders, limiting operations until the end of World War II...
, WHO
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
, WIPO
World Intellectual Property Organization
The World Intellectual Property Organization is one of the 17 specialized agencies of the United Nations. WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world"....
, WTrO
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...