arty (NDP), James (Son) MITCHELL;
Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP), Vincent BEACH;
United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS;
Movement for National Unity (MNU), Ralph GONSALVES;
National Reform Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL

_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18

_#_Elections:

House of Assembly--last held 16 May 1989
(next to be held July 1994);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(21 total; 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators)
NDP 15

_#_Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, OAS, OECS,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO

_#_Diplomatic representation: none

_#_Flag: 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
_#_Overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most
important sector of the economy. The services sector, based mostly on
a growing tourist industry, is also important. The economy continues to
have a high unemployment rate of 30% because of an overdependence on the
weather-plagued banana crop as a major export earner. Government progress
toward diversifying into new industries has been relatively unsuccessful.

_#_GDP: $146 million, per capita $1,315; real growth rate 5.9%
(1989 est.)

_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1989)

_#_Unemployment rate: 30% (1989 est.)

_#_Budget: revenues $62 million; expenditures $67 million,
including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY90 est.)

_#_Exports: $74.6 million (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities--bananas 45%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), sweet
potatoes, spices, light manufactures;

partners--UK 43%, CARICOM 37%, US 15%

_#_Imports: $127.5 million (c.i.f., 1989);

commodities--foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and
fertilizers, minerals and fuels;

partners--US 42%, CARICOM 19%, UK 15%

_#_External debt: $42.2 million (FY89)

_#_Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1989); accounts for 14%
of GDP

_#_Electricity: 16,600 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced,
570 kWh per capita (1990)

_#_Industries: food processing (sugar, flour), cement, furniture,
clothing, starch, sheet metal, beverage

_#_Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GDP and 60% of labor force;
provides bulk of exports; products--bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes,
spices; small numbers of cattle, s