Government of Barbados explained

Government Name:Government of Barbados
Government Form:Parliamentary Republic
Document Type:Founding document
Document:Constitution of Barbados
Country:Barbados
Branch1:Office of the President
Branch1 Label1:Head of State
Branch1 Data1:President of Barbados
Branch1 Label3:Seat
Branch1 Data3:State House
Legislature:Parliament
Meeting Place:Parliament Buildings
Branch3:Executive branch
Leader Type:Head of Government
Leader Title:Prime Minister of Barbados
Appointed:President of Barbados
Headquarters:Ilaro Court
Main Organ:Cabinet of Barbados
Departments:19 Ministries
Branch4:Judicial branch
Court:Supreme Court of Barbados
Seat:Supreme Court of Barbados Complex

The Government of Barbados (GoB) is a unitary parliamentary republic, where the President of Barbados is the head of state and the Prime Minister of Barbados is the head of government.

Structure

The country has a bicameral legislature and a political party system, based on universal adult suffrage and fair elections. The Senate has 21 members, appointed by the President, 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, two on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, and seven at the President's sole discretion. The House of Assembly has 30 members, all elected. Both houses debate all legislation. However, the House of Assembly may 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; Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Chairman of Committees of the Assembly) are elected from the members of the respective houses.

In keeping with the Westminster system of governance, Barbados has evolved into an independent parliamentary democracy, meaning that all political power rests with the Parliament under a non-political President as head of state. Executive authority is vested in the President, who normally acts only on the advice of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, who are collectively responsible to Parliament.Web site: Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2021. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.barbadosparliament.com/uploads/bill_resolution/56f53e308108b4b315d1b367c2914f7a.pdf . 2022-10-09 . live. 2021. Parliament of Barbados. 29 October 2021. . Barbadian law is rooted in English common law, and the Constitution of Barbados implemented in 1966, is the 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 member of Parliament, and other ministers are appointed from either chamber by the President, as advised by the Prime Minister.

The President 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 President, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister.

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

History

See main article: Elections in Barbados. 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.

Between 1966 and 2021, the head of state of Barbados was the Monarchy of Barbados represented by the Governor-General of Barbados as its representative. After decades of republicanism, the monarchy was abolished and replaced with a new head of state office, the President of Barbados, on 30 November 2021.

Since independence the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) held office 1966 to 1976, from 1986 to 1994, and from January 2008 to 2018. The Barbados Labour Party (BLP) governed from 1976 to 1986, from September 1994–2008 and has formed the government from 2018–Present.

Executive branch

| President|

Sandra Mason

| Independent| 30 November 2021|-|Prime Minister|

Mia Mottley

|Barbados Labour Party|25 May 2018|}The Executive Branch of government conducts the ordinary business of government. These functions are called out by the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers. The prime minister chooses the ministers of government they wish to have in the cabinet but they are actually appointed by the President.

Office Office HolderConstituencyPolitical Party
Prime Minister
Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, with responsibility for Culture, Security, Public Service, Caricom and Development Commissions
Mia MottleySt. Michael North EastBarbados Labour Party
Deputy Prime Minister
Senior Minister
Minister of Transport, Works and Water Resources
Sanita BradshawSt. Michael South East
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs
Senior Minister Governance
Dale MarshallSt. Joseph
Minister of Energy and Business Development
Senior Minister
Kerrie SymmondsSt. James Central
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
Senior Minister, Social and Environmental Policy
Jerome WalcottN/A (Senator)
Senior Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, with responsibility for Infrastructure and Town Planning MattersWilliam DuguidChrist Church West
Minister of Homes Affairs and InformationWilfred AbrahamsChrist Church East
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition SecurityIndar WeirSt. Philip South
Minister of Tourism and International TransportIan Gooding EdghillSt. Michael West Central
Minister for the Public Service, Home Affairs, Labour and Gender AffairsLisa CummingsN/A (Senator)
Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational TrainingKay McConneySt. Philip West
Minister of Housing, lands and MaintenanceDwight SutherlandSt. George South
Minister of People Empowerment and Elder AffairsKirk HumphreySt. Michael South
Minister of the Environment and National Beautification and Blue EconomyAdrian FordeChrist Church West Central
Minister of Labour, Social Security and Third SectorColin JordanSt. Peter
Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and TechnologyDavidson IshmaelSt. Michael North
Minister of Youth, Sports and Community EmpowermentCharles GriffithSt. John
Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Economic DevelopmentRyan StraughnChrist Church East Central
Minister in the Office of the Prime MinisterChantal Munroe KnightN/A (Senator)
Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and WellnessSonia BrowneSt. Philip North
Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Ministry of Business DevelopmentSandra HusbandsSt. James South
Source: St.Lucia Times
Parliamentary Secretaries!Office!Office Holder!Constituency!Political party
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Water Resources, with responsibility for Water ResourcesRommel SpringerSt. AndrewBarbados Labour Party
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder AffairsCorey LayneCity of Bridgetown
Source: St.Lucia Times
Permanent Secretaries!Ministerial Office!Position!Office Holder
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign TradeHEAD OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF FOREIGN TRADELouis Woodroffe
Prime Minister's OfficePERMANENT SECRETARY Ms. Alies Jordan
Ministry of the Public ServiceDIRECTOR GENERAL (HUMAN RESOURCES)Ms. Gail Atkins
Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and InvestmentPERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Nancy Headley
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign TradePERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Simone Rudder
Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal AffairsPERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Yvette Goddard
Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational TrainingPERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Betty Alleyne Headley
Ministry of Home AffairsPERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Deborah Payne
Ministry of Health & WellnessPERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Janet Philips
Ministry of Agriculture and Food SecurityPERMANENT SECRETARY Mr. Terry Bascombe
Ministry of Labour and Social Partnership RelationsPERMANENT SECRETARYDr. Karen Best
Ministry of Housing, Lands and Rural DevelopmentPERMANENT SECRETARYMr. Timothy Maynard
Ministry of International Business and IndustryPERMANENT SECRETARYMs. June Chandler
National Insurance DepartmentDIRECTOR Ms. Jennifer Hunte
Ministry of Tourism and International TransportPERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Donna Cadogan
Ministry of Youth and Community EmpowermentPERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Yolande Howard
Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder AffairsPERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Gabrielle Springer
Ministry of Energy, Small Business and EntrepreneurshipPERMANENT SECRETARY (SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS)Mr. Andrew Gittens
Ministry of Environment and National Beautification PERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Daphne Kellman
Ministry of Energy, Small Business and EntrepreneurshipPERMANENT SECRETARY (SMALLBUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP)Ms. Francine Blackman
Ministry of Transport, Works and MaintenancePERMANENT SECRETARYMr. Mark Cummins
Prime Minister's OfficePERMANENT SECRETARY (CULTURE)Mr. Jehu Wiltshire
Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue EconomyPERMANENT SECRETARY Ms. Sonia Foster
Ministry of Innovation, Science and Smart TechnologyPERMANENT SECRETARY Mr. Charley Browne
Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Public AffairsPERMANENT SECRETARYMs. Sandra Phillips
Cabinet OfficeCABINET SECRETARYMrs. Cecile Humphrey
Ministry of Energy, Small Business and EntrepreneurshipPERMANENT SECRETARY (Small Business and Entrepreneurship)Mr. Esworth Reid
Source: BGIS

Legislative Branch

Under Barbados' version of the Westminster system of government, the executive and legislative branches are partly intertwined.The only official Cabinet office (other than Prime Minister) expressly mentioned in the Constitution of Barbados is Office of the Attorney-General.

Law

The Constitution of Barbados is the supreme law of the nation.[1] The Attorney General heads the independent judiciary. Historically, Barbadian law was based entirely on English common law with a few local adaptations. At the time of independence, the Parliament of the United Kingdom lost its ability to legislate for Barbados, but the existing English and British common law and statutes in force at that time, together with other measures already adopted by the Barbadian Parliament, became the basis of the new country's legal system.

Legislation may be shaped or influenced by such organisations as the United Nations, the Organization of American States, or other international bodies to which Barbados has obligatory commitments by treaty. Additionally, through international co-operation, other institutions may supply the Barbados Parliament with key sample legislation to be adapted to meet local circumstances before enacting it as local law.

New acts are passed by the Barbadian Parliament and require approval by the President to become law. The President, has the power to "withhold assent" from laws by vetoing the proposed law without parliamentary override.[2]

Judicial branch

See main article: Judiciary of Barbados.

The judiciary is the legal system through which punishments are handed out to individuals who break the law. The functions of the judiciary are to enforce laws; to interpret laws; to conduct court hearings; to hear court appeals.[3]

The local court system of Barbados is made up of:

Perception

Transparency International ranked Barbados as 29th place (of 180) in the world on its Corruption Perceptions Index in 2021, being the least corrupt country in the Caribbean.[5]

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Barbados/barbados66.html The official Constitution of Barbados
  2. [Constitution of Barbados]
  3. Web site: About the Judicial System Barbados Judicial System. 2021-01-10. en-US. 2021-01-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210112055934/https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/about-the-judicial-system/. dead.
  4. Web site: Law Courts of Barbados . Lawcourts.gov.bb . 4 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090815015349/http://www.lawcourts.gov.bb/Aboutus.html . 15 August 2009 .
  5. Web site: 2022-01-26 . Barbados maintains strong ranking in Corruption Perception Index . 2022-03-08 . Barbados Today . en-US.