HELL (since 30
July 1984)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually
appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime
minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime
minister

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected
representatives and 6 appointed senators; members are elected by
popular vote from single member constituencies to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 21 February 1994 (next to be held by NA May 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP
12, ULP 3

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint
Lucia); one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent

Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party (NDP), James F.
MITCHELL; United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS; National
Reform Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL; Unity Labor Party (ULP),Vincent
BEACHE - formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP)
and the Movement for National Unity (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,
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: [1] (202) 364-6730
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Ambassador to Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

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

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 high unemployment rates of 35%-40%
continue. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the
biggest obstacle to the is