Trinidad and Tobago
Country in the West Indies, off the coast of Venezuela.
Government
Trinidad and Tobago is an independent republic within the Commonwealth.
The 1976 constitution provides for a president as head of state and
a two-chamber parliament, consisting of a senate of 31 members and a
house of representatives of 36. The president is chosen by an electoral
college drawn from both chambers and appoints the prime minister and
cabinet, who are collectively responsible to parliament. The president
also appoints the senators, 16 on the advice of the prime minister,
6 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 9 after wider consultation.
The 36 members of the house of representatives are elected by universal
adult suffrage. Parliament has a life of five years. Tobago was given
its own house of assembly 1980. It has 15 members, 12 popularly elected
and 3 chosen by the majority party.
History
The islands of Trinidad and Tobago were visited by Columbus 1498. Trinidad
was colonized by Spain from 1532 and ceded to Britain 1802, having been
captured 1797. Tobago was settled by the Netherlands in the 1630s and
subsequently occupied by various countries before being ceded to Britain
by France 1814. Trinidad and Tobago were amalgamated 1888 as a British
colony. Independence Trinidad and Tobago's first political party, the
People's National Movement (PNM), was formed 1956 by Dr Eric Williams,
and when the colony achieved internal self- government 1959 he became
the first chief minister. Between 1958 and 1961 it was a member of the
Federation of the West Indies but withdrew and achieved full independence,
within the Commonwealth, 1962, Williams becoming the first prime minister.
Republic A new constitution was adopted 1976 that made Trinidad and
Tobago a republic. The former governor general, Ellis Clarke, became
the first president and Williams continued as prime minister. Williams
died March 1981 without having nominated a successor, and the president
appointed George Chambers; the PNM formally adopted him as leader May
1981.
The opposition, a moderate left-wing party grouping led by Arthur Robinson,
was reorganized as the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) and
in the 1986 general election it swept the PNM from power and Arthur
Robinson became prime minister. Noor Hassanali became president 1987.
An attempted coup July 1990 resulted in the capture of Prime Minister
Robinson. A month later the rebels surrendered and an injured Robinson
was released. Robinson was defeated in the Dec 1991 general election
and was succeeded as prime minister by Patrick Manning, leader of the
PNM. In 1993 a new, centre-left party was formed, the National Development
Party. After the PNM and opposition United National Congress (UNC) tied
in the Nov 1995 general election, a UNC-NAR coalition government was
formed under Basdeo Panday.
|
Hotel Investment Opportunity
