Government and Politics

Government and Politics of Grenada

Government structure, leadership, capital, military, and national symbols of Grenada.

Government Structure

Constitutional foundations, branches, parties, and leadership.

Government Type: constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament
Administrative Divisions: 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick
Legal System: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship: Citizenship by birth: Yes Citizenship by descent only: Yes Dual citizenship recognized: Yes Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years for persons from a non-Caribbean state and 4 years for a person from a Caribbean state
Executive Branch: chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022), represented by Governor General Dame Cecile LA GRENADE (since 7 May 2013) head of government: Prime Minister Dickon MITCHELL (since 24 June 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative Branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by November 2008) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NNP 46.65%, NDC 44.12%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7
Judicial Branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of Appeal and a High Court of Justice (a High Court judge is assigned to and resides in Grenada)
Political Parties: Good Old Democracy or GOD [Justin MCBURNIE]; Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]; People Labor Movement or PLM [Dr. Francis ALEXIS]
Head of State: Queen ELIZABETH II
Head of Government: Prime Minister Tillman THOMAS
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Constitution: 19-Dec-73
Independence: 7 February 1974 (from UK)
National Holiday: Independence Day, 7 February (1974)
International Organization Participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.: chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 consulate(s) general: New York
U.S. Diplomatic Representation: chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176 FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Capital City

Seat of government and political history.

Capital City: Saint George's
Location: 12 03 N, 61 45 W
Time Difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
History: The 1763 Treaty of Paris transferred possession of Grenada from France to Great Britain; the new administration renamed Ville de Fort Royal (Fort Royal Town) to Saint George's Town, after the patron saint of England; eventually the name became simply Saint George's

Military

Branches, service obligations, expenditures, and manpower.

Military Branches: No regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Coast Guard)

National Symbols

Flag, anthem, and other symbols of national identity.

National Flag

Flag Symbolism: a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions
Flag History: the yellow represents the sun and the friendliness of the people, the green stands for the agriculture and the red is a symbol of harmony, unity and courage. The seven stars represent the island's seven perishes. The nutmeg recalls that this small island is the second-largest producer of nutmeg in the world.
Date of Adoption: 7 February 1974

National Anthem

Anthem Lyrics (English): Hail! Grenada, land of ours, We pledge ourselves to thee, Heads, hearts and hands in unity To reach our destiny. Ever conscious of God, Being proud of our heritage, May we with faith and courage Aspire, build, advance As one people, one family. God bless our nation.

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