Politics, constitution and administrative structure of Trinidad & Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is a state with a Republican form of government. The main territorial units of the Republic are the two largest islands, Trinidad and Tobago. There are several dozens of small islands, most of which are uninhabited. It is worth noting that Trinidad and Tobago was considered a colony of Great Britain until the middle of the last century. And, even after Queen Elizabeth granted the islands independence, the republic became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Great Britain had a significant influence on the islands, as after independence the British model of parliamentary democracy continues to be the form of government here. Today, the country can be considered a fully functional parliamentary republic.

All legislation is based on the Constitution which was adopted in 1976. According to the constitutional provisions, the head of the state is the President. The term of office of the President is 5 years. The election is not attended by the local population, but rather by a special electoral college which is formed by elected officials of the bicameral Parliament. According to the Constitution, the President of Trinidad and Tobago can hold the post for no more than two consecutive terms. In view of the parliamentary-republican form of government, the main powers of the President are exclusively formal, and he practically has no real power. The President is obliged to represent his country in the international arena, be present at various state-owned enterprises, and reward winners of state contests. He also has the right to award amnesty, but the actual leader in Trinidad and Tobago is the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister is also elected not by the people, but by members of the government, from the candidates nominated by the Parliament. At the same time, the President is formally obliged to approve the candidacy of the Prime Minister. However, in the entire history of the state’s independence, there has not been a single case where the President did not agree with Parliament’s choice of candidate. As a rule, the post of Prime Minister is held by an official who is also the leader of the dominant party, who received the majority votes in Parliament. The Prime Minister is governed by a cabinet of ministers. Its composition must however be approved by the Parliament. As of today, there are 21 ministries and a cabinet of ministers, respectively, forming the 21 relevant ministers. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

As for Parliament, it has a bicameral structure. The lower house is called the House of Representative. It includes about 41 officials, but over time, there is a plan to increase the number of seats. The upper house is traditionally called the Senate. It includes more than 3 dozen officials. About half of them are appointed personally by the Prime Minister, and will be considered dominant. Also, some of them are elected on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, while the rest are chosen by the President. In the upper house, the latter act as Independent Senators. The main executive body on the islands is the House of Assembly, which is composed of 15 deputies.

According to the Constitution, the islands operate a multiparty system of government. One of the most important political parties in the Republic is the People’s National Movement. The political decisions of this party are aimed at supporting citizens of African lineage. The main opposition to this party is the United Labor Front, which has a center-left direction. The coalition is formed from the United National Congress and the National Union. The constitution makes provision for an independent judiciary in the territory of the Republic. It is for this reason that the Arbitration Court is functioning in the country. A specialist under the Presidential decree gets to the post of the supreme judge. That aside, the President is obliged to take into account the opinion of the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition bloc, who are in the upper house. In addition, there is a Supreme Court in Trinidad and Tobago, which is considered to be outside the control of the executive branch.

The foreign policy of the modern Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is loyal enough to respect the sovereignty and integrity of each country in the world. The country does not consider it necessary to intervene in any domestic problems of other states. Consequently, Trinidad and Tobago respects any regulations that have been adopted by the United Nations. In addition, the republic is an active member of the organization of the Caribbean Community, as well as a member of the world trade organization. It also represents the interests of the United Nations since the middle of the last century. Today, the embassies of Trinidad and Tobago are located in 10 countries of the world, as well as in Geneva and New York, as members of the UN mission.