Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG (since 17 November
1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Manuel ESQUIVEL (since July 1993);
Deputy Prime Minister Dean BARROW (since NA 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice from the
prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly Senate: consists of an 8-member appointed body; 5 members are appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 2 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 after consultation with the Belize Advisory Council (this council serves as an independent body to advise the governor-general with respect to difficult decisions such as granting pardons, commutations, stays of execution, the removal of justices of appeal who appear to be incompetent, etc.) National Assembly: elections last held 30 June 1993 (next to be held June 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) PUP 13 UDP 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: People's United Party (PUP), George
PRICE, Florencio MARIN, Said MUSA; United Democratic Party (UDP),
Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean LINDO, Dean BARROW; National Alliance for
Belizean Rights, Philip GOLDSON
Other political or pressure groups: Society for the Promotion of
Education and Research (SPEAR), Assad SHOMAN; United Workers Front,
leader NA
Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT
(nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LAES, NAM,
OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dean R. LINDO
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador George Charles BRUNO
embassy: Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City; APO: Unit 7401, APO AA
34025
telephone: [501] (2) 77161 through 77163
FAX: [501] (2) 30802
Flag: blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland