Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 15 June 1998 (next to be held by NA May 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 8, ULP 7
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint
Lucia), one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent
Political parties and leaders: National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP ; Progressive Labor Party or PLP ; United People's Movement or UPM ; Unity Labor Party or ULP (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C. A. LAYNE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: (202) 364-6730 FAX: (202) 364-6736
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Flag description: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Economy
Economy - overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower-middle-income economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and a high unemployment rate of 22% continues. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995. The tourism sector has considerable potential for development over the next decade. Recent growth has been stimulated by strong activity in the construction sector and an improvement in tourism. There is a small manufacturing sector and a small offshore financial sector whose particularly restrictive secrecy laws have caused some international concern.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $309 million (1999 est.)