Trinidad and Tobago - Government
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesTrinidad and Tobago is located Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela. The climate is tropical; rainy season (June to December). The terrain is mostly plains with some hills and low mountains.
Country name
This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example)Country name - conventional long form : Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Country name - conventional short form : Trinidad and Tobago
Government type
This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.)Government type : parliamentary democracy
Capital
This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.Capital - name : Port-of-Spain
Capital - geographic coordinates : 10 39 N, 61 31 W
Capital - time difference : UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.Administrative divisions - regional corporations : Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco
Administrative divisions - city corporations : Port-of-Spain, San Fernando
Administrative divisions - borough corporations : Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin
Administrative divisions - ward : Tobago
Independence
For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.Independence : 31 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday
This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.National holiday : Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
Constitution
This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.Constitution : 1 August 1976
Legal system
This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.Legal system : based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.Executive branch - chief of state : President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)
Executive branch - head of government : Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001)
Executive branch - cabinet : Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
Executive branch - elections : president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 February 2008 (next to be held by February 2013); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives
Executive branch - election results : George Maxwell RICHARDS reelected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA
Legislative branch
This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.Legislative branch - elections : House of Representatives - last held on 5 November 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Legislative branch - election results : House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 46%, UNC 29.7%; seats by party - PNM 26, UNC 15
Legislative branch - note : Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members serving four-year terms; last election held in January 2005; seats by party - PNM 11, DAC 1
Judicial branch
This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.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 after consultation with 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; Caribbean Court of Appeals member; Court of Appeals; the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London
Political parties and leaders
This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.Political parties and leaders : Congress of the People [Winston DOOKERAN]; Democratic Action Congress or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES] (only active in Tobago); Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Gerald YETMING] (coalition of NAR, DDPT, MND); Movement for National Development or MND [Garvin NICHOLAS]; National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Dr. Carson CHARLES]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]
Political pressure groups and leaders
This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.Political pressure groups and leaders : Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]
International organization participation
This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.International organization participation : ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Glenda MOREAN-PHILLIP
Diplomatic representation in the US - chancery : 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation in the US - telephone : [1] (202) 467-6490
Diplomatic representation in the US - FAX : [1] (202) 785-3130
Diplomatic representation in the US - consulate(s) general : Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN
Diplomatic representation from the US - embassy : 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
Diplomatic representation from the US - mailing address : P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
Diplomatic representation from the US - telephone : [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376
Diplomatic representation from the US - FAX : [1] (868) 822-5905
Flag description
This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.Flag description : red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side
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