Government and Politics of Montserrat

Government Type

NA

Administrative Divisions

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Legal System

English common law and statutory law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Executive Branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022), represented by Governor Sarah TUCKER (since March 2020) head of government: Premier Joseph FARRELL (since 12 November 2019) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the premier, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the financial secretary elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes premier

Legislative Branch

unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2 note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Judicial Branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)

Political Parties

National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Head of State

Queen ELIZABETH II

Head of Government

Chief Minister Rueben Meade

Cabinet

Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary

Elections

the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister

Constitution

present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National Holiday

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

International Organization Participation

Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

none (overseas territory of the UK)

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Capital City

Plymouth; note - Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, the de facto capital, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat

Location

16 42 N, 62 13 W

Time Difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

now entirely deserted because of volcanic activity, the city was originally named after Plymouth, England; de jure, Plymouth remains the capital city of Montserrat; it is therefore the only ghost town that serves as the capital of a political entity

U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown Wildey Business park Wildey St. Michael, Barbados Telephone: (246) 227-4399 Emergency after-hours telephone: (246) 227-4000 Facsimile: (246) 431-0179 Email: BridgetownACS@state.gov Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Barbadian and U.S. holidays.

Military Branches

no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force