Constitution: 1959, revised 1972 and 1992
Legal system: British common law and local statutes
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and President of the Executive Council Peter SMITH (since 5 May 1999) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three official members and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - National Team coalition 9, independents 6
Judicial branch: Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of
Appeal
Political parties and leaders: no formal political parties note: the National Team, an organization formed in 1992 to oppose some proposals in the constitutional draft, continues to exert legislative power
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CDB,
Interpol (subbureau), IOC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the
UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the
UK)