| 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
|
|
