Antigua and Barbuda
Country comprising three islands in the E Caribbean (Antigua, Barbuda,
and uninhabited Redonda).
Government
Antigua and Barbuda constitute an independent sovereign nation within
the Commonwealth, with the British monarch as head of state. The constitution
came into effect with independence 1981. The governor general, representing
the British monarch, is appointed on the advice of the Antiguan prime
minister, who is chosen by the governor general as the person most likely
to have the support of the legislature. The parliament is similar to
Britain's, with a prime minister and cabinet answerable to it. It consists
of a Senate and a House of Representatives, each having 17 members.
Senators are appointed for a five- year term by the governor general,
11 on the advice of the prime minister, four on the advice of the leader
of the opposition, one at the governor general's own discretion, and
one on the advice of the Barbuda Council, the main instrument for local
government. Members of the house of representatives are elected by universal
suffrage for a similar term.
History
The original inhabitants of Antigua and Barbuda were Carib Indians.
The first Europeans to visit Antigua were with Christopher Columbus
1493, although they did not go ashore. He named the island after the
church of Santa Marķa de la Antigua at Seville. Antigua was first colonized
by Britain 1632. Charles II leased Barbuda 1685 to the Codrington family,
who ran a sugar plantation on Antigua. Barbuda was a source of stock
and provisions for the plantation and was inhabited almost entirely
by black slaves, who used the relatively barren land cooperatively.
The Codringtons finally surrendered the lease 1870. Barbuda reverted
to the crown in the later 19th century. The Antiguan slaves were freed
1834 but remained poor, totally dependent on the sugar crop market.
Between 1860 and 1959 the islands were administered by Britain within
a federal system known as the Leeward Islands. Antigua and Barbuda was
made an associated state of the UK and given full internal independence
1967, with Britain retaining responsibility for defence and foreign
affairs.
Barbuda, with a population of about 1,200 people, started a separatist
movement 1969, fearing that Antigua would sell Barbudan land to foreign
developers. Independence from Britain In the 1971 general election,
the Progressive Labour Movement (PLM) won a decisive victory, and its
leader, George Walter, replaced Vere Bird, leader of the Antigua Labour
Party (ALP), as prime minister. The PLM fought the 1976 election on
a call for early independence while the ALP urged caution until a firm
economic foundation had been laid. The ALP won and declared 1978 that
the country was ready for independence. Opposition from the inhabitants
of Barbuda delayed the start of constitutional talks, and the territory
eventually became independent as Antigua and Barbuda 1981. Ruling ALP
retains hold on power Despite its policy of nonalignment, the ALP government
actively assisted the US invasion of Grenada 1983 and went on to win
16 of the 17 seats in the 1984 general election.
In the 1989 general election Bird and the ALP again won a sweeping
victory, but in 1990 his government was tarnished by allegations that
one of his sons, a cabinet minister, was involved in illegal arms deals.
Calls by parliament for Bird's resignation 1991 were unsuccessful but
in 1993 he stepped down and, after a close election, was succeeded by
his younger son, Lester. The position of the new prime minister was
confirmed after the ALP won the 1994 general election.
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