Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Noor Mohammed HASSANALI (since 18 March
1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Patrick Augustus Mervyn MANNING
(since 17 December 1991)
cabinet: Cabinet; responsible to parliament
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament Senate: consists of a 31-member body appointed by the president House of Representatives: elections last held 16 December 1991 (next to be held by December 1996); results - PNM 32%, UNC 13%, NAR 2%; seats - (36 total) PNM 21, UNC 13, NAR 2
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: People's National Movement (PNM),
Patrick MANNING; United National Congress (UNC), Basdeo PANDAY;
National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), Selby WILSON; Movement for
Social Transformation (MOTION), David ABDULLAH; National Joint Action
Committee (NJAC), Makandal DAAGA; Republican Party, Nello MITCHELL;
National Development Party (NDP), Carson CHARLES; Movement for Unity
and Progress (MUP), Hulsie BHAGGAN
Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT,
IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Corinne Averille McKNIGHT chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490 FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Brian DONNELLY (since September 1994) embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone: [1] (809) 622-6372 through 6376, 6176 FAX: [1] (809) 628-5462
Flag: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side