Government of Barbados

The Government of Barbados (GoB), is made up structurally of The Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State.^[1] She is represented by her representative the Governor-General, Sir Elliott Belgrave, G.C.M.G., K.A.,^[2] The country has a bicameral legislature and a mature social democratic party system, based on universal adult suffrage and total purity in elections. The Senate has 21 members, all appointed by the Governor-General on behalf of the Monarch, 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, two on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, and seven in the Governor-General’s sole discretion. The House of Assembly has 30 members, all elected. Both Houses debate all legislation. However, the House of Assembly may ultimately override Senate's rejection of money Bills and other Bills except Bills amending the Constitution. Officers of each House (President and Deputy President of the Senate and Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees of the Assembly) are elected from the Members of the respective Houses.

In keeping with the evolution of the Westminster system of governance, Barbados has evolved into a leading independent Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy, meaning that all real power rests with the Parliament, but the country maintains aspects of a historic Monarchy/Kingdom government also, which allows stability. Executive authority is vested in the Monarch who grants all functioning of the government to both the Prime Minister and Cabinet who are collectively responsible to Parliament.^[3] Barbadian law is rooted historically on English common law, and the Constitution of Barbados implemented in 1966, is supreme law of the land.

Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the individual are set out in the Constitution and are protected by a strict legal code.

The Cabinet is headed by the Prime Minister who must be an elected MP and other Ministers are appointed from either chamber by the Governor-General as advised by the Prime Minister.

The Governor-General appoints as Leader of the Opposition the Member of House of Assembly who commands the support of the largest number of Members of that House in opposition to the ruling party's government.

The maximum duration of a Parliament is five years from the first sitting. There is a simultaneous dissolution of both Houses of Parliament by the Governor-General acting on the advice of the Prime Minister.

There is an established non-political public service. Also, there are separate constitutional commissions for: the Judicial and Legal Service, the Public Service, and the Police Service.

History

A simplified diagram of the Barbados government

The government has been chosen by elections since 1961 elections, when Barbados achieved full self-governance. Before then, the government was a Crown colony consisting of either colonial administration solely (such as the Executive Council), or a mixture of colonial rule and a partially elected assembly, such as the Legislative Council. Since Independence, the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) governed from 1976 to 1986, and from September 1994 – 2008. The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) held office 1966 to 1976, from 1986 to 1994, and has formed the Government January 2008 to present.

Executive branch

The Prime Minister and Cabinet is formed by the political party which gains a simple majority in the general elections held in Barbados. These elections constitutionally must be held no longer than every five years apart, however elections can be called whenever the Government so chooses to seek a new mandate or loses a vote of no confidence in Parliament. It is part of Barbados' political system and supported by the Public service.

Ministries

Barbados
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Barbados
Constitution
Executive Monarch Queen Elizabeth II Governor-General Elliott Belgrave Prime Minister (list) Freundel Stuart Cabinet Ministries
Legislature House of Assembly Speaker: Michael Carrington Senate President: Kerryann Ifill Leader Opposition Leader: Owen Arthur Legislation
Elections Recent elections General: 2008 Parliamentary constituencies Political parties Barbados Labour Party Democratic Labour Party
Judiciary Barbados law Human rights Supreme Court Chief Justice: Marston Gibson Court of Appeal High Court Magistrates courts Caribbean Court of Justice
Administrative divisions Parishes Parliamentary constituencies Constituency Councils
Foreign relations Diplomatic missions
Historical Treaty of Oistins Governor The Council Executive Council Legislative Council Local Government (Vestry system) Mayor of Bridgetown Bridgetown City Council
Other countries Atlas Politics portal
v t e

[edit table]

Judicial Branch

Barbados' Courts include the Magistrates' Court, High Court, and Court of Appeal.^[4] It is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice, and allows some appeals to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Perception

Transparency International ranked Barbados as 17th place (of 179) in the world on its corruption perceptions index in 2010, with only 1 nation scoring better in the Americas. ()

See also

• Politics of Barbados
• Monarchy of Barbados
• Parliament of Barbados
• Prime Minister of Barbados
• Cabinet of Barbados

References

Further reading

• Dupont, Jerry (2001). The common law abroad: constitutional and legal legacy of the British empire. William S. Hein & Co., Inc. pp. Pgs. 199–206. ISBN 087731259 Check |isbn= value (help). Retrieved 5 January 2010. 

Gallery

• 

  Office of the Prime Minister

• 

  The Cabinet Office "Government Headquarters" complex

• 

  Main entrance to "Government Headquarters" complex, with a statue of Sir Grantley Adams in the foreground

External links

• Government of Barbados on the Open Directory Project
• Barbadian Government Website
• The Barbados Governmental System, Photius Coutsoukis
• Barbados Government statement on the proper titles for members of Government
• Social Security provided by the Government of Barbados
• Laws of Barbados, The World Law Guide
• Laws of Barbados, The World Intellectual Property Organization

v t e Governments of The Americas North America South America Sovereign states Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Bahamas Barbados Belize Bolivia Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago United States Uruguay Venezuela Dependencies and other territories Anguilla Aruba Bermuda Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Curaçao Falkland Islands French Guiana Greenland Guadeloupe Martinique Montserrat Navassa Island Puerto Rico Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands US Virgin Islands