Constitution: 3 November 1978
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Vernon Lorden SHAW (since 7 October 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt DOUGLAS (since 2 February 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 7 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vernon Lorden SHAW elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote representatives; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPD 10, UWP 9, DFP 2
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (located in Saint Lucia), one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Political parties and leaders: Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles
SAVARIN]; Labor Party of Dominica or LPD ; United
Workers Party or UWP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Dominica Liberation Movement or
DLM (a small leftist party)
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (resident in Dominica) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: (202) 364-6781 FAX: (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York