The politics of Antigua and Barbuda takes place in a framework of a unitary parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, wherein the sovereign of Antigua and Barbuda is the head of state, appointing a governor-general to act as vice-regal representative in the nation. A prime minister is appointed by the governor-general as the head of government, and of a multi-party system; the prime minister advises the governor-general on the appointment of a Council of Ministers. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the Parliament. The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (seventeen-member body appointed by the governor-general) and the House of Representatives (seventeen seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms).

Antigua and Barbuda has a long history of free elections, three of which have resulted in peaceful changes of government. Since the 1951 general election, the party system has been dominated by the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), for a long time was dominated by the Bird family, particularly Prime Ministers Vere and Lester Bird. The opposition claimed to be disadvantaged by the ABLP's longstanding monopoly on patronage and its control of the media, especially in the 1999 general election. The opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) won the 2004 election, and its leader Winston Baldwin Spencer was prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda from 2004 to 2014.[1]

The elections to the House of Representatives were held on 12 June 2014. The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party government was elected with fourteen seats. The United Progressive Party had three seats in the House of Representatives.[2] ABLP won 15 of the 17 seats in the 2018 snap election under the leadership of incumbent Prime Minister Gaston Browne.[3]

Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the eastern Caribbean court system. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Jurisprudence is based on English common law.

Executive branch

Ministers

This section is an excerpt from Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda § Ministers.[edit]
The Office of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda is the meeting place of the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda.
Not every minister serves in the cabinet (the majority of ministers are also members of the cabinet, both currently and historically). With the exception of the Attorney General, every member of the cabinet is a minister. In addition to the office of Prime Minister, there can be such other offices of Minister (including Minister of State) of the Government as may be established by Parliament or, subject to the provisions of any law enacted by Parliament, by the Governor-General acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister. This is subject to the provisions of section 82 of the Constitution and subsection (4) of section 69.[4] The Governor-General, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, must appoint from among the members of the House and of the Senate those individuals who will serve as Ministers other than the Prime Minister.[4] If parliament is dissolved and a prime minister is required, a person who was a member of the House immediately before a dissolution may be appointed as Prime Minister or any other Minister, and a person who was a member of the Senate immediately before the dissolution may be appointed as any Minister other than Prime Minister.[4] A document bearing the public seal must be used to make appointments.[4]

By issuing written instructions, the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the Prime Minister's recommendation, may delegate to the Prime Minister or any other Minister responsibility for any government operation, including the management of any department. The Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, may appoint a member of the House or a Senator to act in the office of such Minister during such absence or illness when a Minister is unable to perform his or her duties because of his or her absence from Antigua and Barbuda or because of illness.[4]

A minister other than the prime minister must resign from their position if they are appointed or reappointed as prime minister, stop serving as a member of the House of Parliament from among the members of which they were appointed, or if the Governor-General, acting on the advice of the prime minister, revokes their appointment.[4] When a Minister other than the Prime Minister is compelled by section 31(2) or section 41 of the Constitution to stop serving in the House to which he belongs, he must also stop serving in any capacity as a Minister at that time.[4]

Before beginning their official duties, the Prime Minister, each other Minister, and each Parliamentary Secretary must take and sign the oaths of office, allegiance, and confidentiality.[4]

Parliamentary secretaries

This section is an excerpt from Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda § Parliamentary secretaries.[edit]
Parliamentary secretaries support ministers rather than sit in the cabinet. To assist Ministers in carrying out their responsibilities, the Governor-General may choose members of the House and the Senate to serve as Parliamentary Secretaries, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister.[4] A person who was a Senator or a member of the House immediately before the dissolution may be appointed as a Parliamentary Secretary if the need arises to make an appointment under this section while Parliament is suspended.[4] When a member of the House of Representatives from which he was appointed ceases to be a member of the House of Representatives for any reason other than a dissolution of Parliament, when a person is appointed or reappointed as Prime Minister, or when the Governor-General orders it to be vacant on the advice of the Prime Minister.[4]

Permanent secretaries

This section is an excerpt from Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda § Permanent secretaries.[edit]
Rather than serving in the cabinet, permanent secretaries provide support for ministries.[4] When a Minister is given charge of a particular government department, he or she is responsible for exercising direction and control over that department. Subject to this direction and control, the department is overseen by a Permanent Secretary, whose position is a public office.[4] For the purposes of section 78 of the constitution, two or more government departments may be under the direction of one permanent secretary, and any department of government allocated to a minister may be under the direction of two or more permanent secretaries.[4]

Executive branch leadership

As head of state, King Charles III is represented in Antigua and Barbuda by a governor-general who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet.[5]

Main office-holders
The King of Antigua and Barbuda:
Charles III
since
8 September 2022
The Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda:
Sir Rodney Williams
since
14 August 2014
The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda:
Gaston Browne
since
13 June 2014

Legislative branch

The parliament building in St. John's.

Antigua and Barbuda elects on national level a legislature. Parliament has two chambers. The House of Representatives has 19 members: 17 members elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies, and 2 ex officio members (president and speaker). The Senate has 17 appointed members. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House and conducts affairs of state with the cabinet. The prime minister and the cabinet are responsible to the Parliament. Elections must be held at least every five years but may be called by the prime minister at any time.

There are special legislative provisions to account for Barbuda's low population relative to that of Antigua. Barbuda is guaranteed one member of the House of Representatives and two members of the Senate. In addition, there is a Barbuda Council to govern the internal affairs of the island.

Political parties and elections

Administrative divisions

Map of Antigua's six parishes

The country is divided into six parishes, Saint George, John, Mary, Paul, Peter, and Phillip which are all on the island of Antigua. Additionally, the islands of Barbuda and Redonda are considered dependencies.

Judicial branch

Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. This court is headquartered in Saint Lucia, but at least one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Antigua and Barbuda, and presides over the High Court of Justice. The current High Court judges are Jennifer Remy and Keith Thom.[6]

Antigua is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice, although it has not yet acceded to Part III of the 2001 Agreement Establishing a Caribbean Court of Justice.[7] Its supreme appellate court therefore remains the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Indeed, of the signatories to the Agreement,[7] as of December 2010, only Barbados has replaced appeals to Her Majesty in Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice.

In addition to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Antigua and Barbuda has a Magistrates' Court, which deals with lesser civil and criminal cases.[8]

Movements

Political pressure groups and leaders

International organisation participation

References

  1. ↑ "Caribbean Elections Biography | Winston Baldwin Spencer". www.caribbeanelections.com.
  2. ↑ "IFES Election Guide | Elections: Antigua and Barbuda House of Representatives 2014". www.electionguide.org.
  3. ↑ "Speculation about early election in Antigua". Barbados Today. 12 June 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 http://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-23.pdf
  5. ↑ "Antigua and Barbuda Country Profile". www.caribbeanelections.com.
  6. ↑ Judicial Officers of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in Antigua and Barbuda Archived 18 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  7. 1 2 Agreement Establishing a Caribbean Court of Justice Archived 14 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine, available here.
  8. ↑ Antiguan and Barbudan criminal court system diagram

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