Grenada is an island nation located in the Caribbean and surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, the main island is also called Grenada and is surrounded by several smaller islands a part of the nation. The island is off the coast of Venezuela and other nearby islands include Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados. The country’s capital city of St. George’s is located on the main island on the coast of the St. George parish.
Before arrival of European colonization, the islands were known to be inhabited by the indigenous Arawak peoples which were eventually replaced by Island Caribs peoples. It is said that Christopher Columbus was the first European to spot the island in 1409 during his Third Voyage, but although the Spanish apparently claimed the island they never landed there and attempted settlement, instead it was the British who first attempted colonization but were driven away by the Island Caribs.
Eventually the French set up a colony on Grenada in 1649 and although there was an attempt at peace between the French colonists and the Island Caribs it wasn’t long until fighting broke out, leading to the French taking complete control of the island by 1654. Colonists set up plantations on the island which were worked by African slaves.
The island was captured by the British in 1762 during the Seven Years’ War and the French ceded it to them via the Treaty of Paris the following year. The French would briefly recapture the island in 1779 while taking exploit of the American Revolutionary War, but after the war the French returned the island to British rule via the Treaty of Versailles in 1783. Dissatisfaction persisted though against British rule on the island leading to a pro-French revolt from 1795 to 1796 which was defeated by the British.
The islands economy grew and led to more African slaves being brought over and forced to work on the island until slavery was outlawed where then migrants, specifically from India, took over the work. The island became a British Crown Colony in 1877. Eventually movements for further self-government and voting rights for the Grenada population begun, from 1952 the island became part of the West Indies Federation until it collapsed in 1962, after this the British gave the country full autonomy over its internal affairs in 1967 and eventually independence in 1974, as a part of the Commonwealth Realm where the British Monarch remained Head of State, represented by a Governor-General.
Following independence tensions and eventually civil conflict broke out between the ruling party of Gairy and opposition parties, specifically the Marxist New Jewel Movement, this party would later launch a bloodless coup that removed Gairy from power, suspended the constitution, banned other political parties and made stronger relations with other Communist bloc countries.
More hardline Communists though saw Bishop (the new leader) as not revolutionary enough and he was eventually put under house arrest, released due to his popular support but then killed by firing squad, leading to a Communist military junta being set up and starting a four-day curfew where “anyone would be shot on sight if they left their home”.
The Communist hardline control of Grenada led to the United States invading the island in 1983 and democratic government was restored.
The islands official language is English and other recognised languages are Grenadian Creole English and Grenadian Creole French. The largest ethnic group is African followed by Mixed. The largest religion is Protestant Christianity. The island nations currency is the East Caribbean Dollar, which it uses alongside Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The island nations population is coming up to 113,000.
Government Type
Grenada is a Parliamentary Representative Democracy. Since Grenada is part of the Commonwealth Realm the British Monarch is Head of State and is represented by an appointed Governor-General on the island nation, this position is mostly ceremonial. The Prime Minister is the Head of Government and a bicameral parliament makes up the legislative government. Multiple parties are allowed.
The Executive Government
Governor-General
As said, there is a Governor-General who is appointed by the British Monarch to represent them as Head of State on the island, the Governor-General has no set term and is kept in place as long as the British Monarch is content with. The position is mostly ceremonial with limited powers but it does serve some important functions, such as enforcement of the constitution and appointment of the Prime Minister after parliamentary elections among other functions.
If the Governor-General is absent for a time due to illness or other reason, then he may appoint a Deputy on advice of the Prime Minister to perform his/her functions during that time. The British Monarch can also appoint an Acting Governor-General.
If there is not a person qualified or willing to accept the position of Leader of the Opposition (which is appointed by the Governor-General after the outcome of Parliamentary Elections) then the Governor-General will act on their own judgement on matters stated in the constitution that required advice from the Leader of the Opposition.
The Governor-General has the power of prerogative of mercy in name of the British Monarch and on behalf of the British Monarch. These powers include the power to pardon, the power to grant respite, the power to substitute a less severe punishment and the power to remit a sentence in whole or part. The Governor-General is advised on this power by an advisory committee that includes a Minister as Chairman designated by the Governor-General on advice of the Prime Minister; the Attorney-General; the Chief Medical Officer; and three other members appointed by the Governor-General.
The Governor-General appoints public Commissions and Boards usually on advice from the Prime Minister.
The Executive and Prime Minister
The constitution says that the executive authority of Grenada is vested within the British monarch who acts through the Governor-General who may act directly or through officer’s subordinate to him/her.
The Prime Minister, who is Head of Government, is appointed by the Governor-General after parliamentary elections, typically the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives (lower parliamentary chamber). Ministers are appointed and removed by the Governor-General on advice of the Prime Minister, the number of Ministers is established by Parliament, and then the Governor-General, on advice of the Prime Minister. Ministers must be chosen from members of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Ministers head Government Departments and exercises general direction and control over such departments, they are fully responsible for the department’s actions and policies.
If the office of Prime Minister happens to become vacant during the time that Parliament is dissolved then the Governor-General can appoint a former member of the dissolved House of Representatives as Prime Minister, during this time these former members can also be appointed as Ministers as well, including from the former members of the dissolved Senate.
The Prime Minister and his/her Government must maintain the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in power.
The Prime Minister and Ministers make up the Cabinet of Ministers, the executive decision-making body of the Government, all its members are collectively responsible. The Attorney-General, the Government’s principle legal advisor, is also an ex-officio member of the Cabinet whenever its office is not a public one. It is the job of the Cabinet to advise the Governor-General to perform actions. The Cabinet does not decide on removal or appointments of Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries or the assignment of business/responsibilities to Ministers, it also does not advise on dissolving Parliament or on the prerogative of mercy.
The Prime Minister him/herself advises the Governor-General on allocation of business/responsibilities to Ministers. If the Prime Minister is absent the Governor-General may authorise a Minister to perform such functions until the Governor-General revokes them.
It is the duty of the Prime Minister to keep the Governor-General updated on the conduct of the Government and also to provide information requested by the Governor-General on the Grenada Government.
The Governor-General appoints and removes Parliamentary Secretaries from among members of the House of Representatives and the Senate on advice of the Prime Minister, they will assist Ministers with their duties.
Public Offices
Most Public Officers are appointed, removed and disciplined by the Public Service Commission of which its members are appointed by the Governor-General on advice of the Prime Minister. Public officers that this commission doesn’t appoint are Secretaries and Government Department Heads, although they can give advice to the Governor-General on these positions; Director of Public Prosecutions; Director of Audit; magistrates, registrars and legal officers; and members of the Police Force (although again the Commission can give advice on this to the Governor-General).
There is a Judicial and Legal Services Commission that handles appointments, removals and discipline of magistrates, registrars and legal officers.
Emergency Provisions
The Governor-General can declare a state of emergency via a proclamation but this will end unless the Parliament gives its consent and Parliament must also give consent to any extensions to the State of Emergency. As usual the State of Emergency is only used during grave and exceptional circumstances such as natural disaster or major terrorist activities for example, allowing authorities extraordinary powers and suspending certain rights and guarantees for a period of time. The State of Emergency can be extended by up to 6-months at a time and can be ended anytime by proclamation of the Governor-General.
The Legislative Government
The Legislative Government, called the Parliament of Grenada, is a bicameral parliament made up of the House of Representatives (lower chamber) and the Senate (upper chamber). The main job of the parliament is to scrutinize introduced legislation, possibly amend it, and either pass or reject it. The House of Representatives is the primary chamber, with the Senate (which is meant to act in a more non-partisan fashion) acting as a checks and balance.
Legislation and amendments can be introduced into either house (except for money bills which can only be introduced to the House of Representatives) by the Government or a member of the chamber. Members of the House of Representatives cannot introduce/move on money bills unless given consent by the Governor-General acting on advice of the appropriate Minister.
Bills passed by Parliament are received by the Governor-General for royal assent.
The Governor-General can dissolve or prorogue parliament on advice of the Prime Minister or dissolve Parliament on own judgement if the Prime Minister or Government has lost a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives. Fresh elections are organised after parliament is dissolved.
The Senate
The Senate, the upper chamber, currently has 13-members as set by the constitution which are appointed in various ways by the Governor-General as explained under electoral system below. There is a President and Deputy President of the Senate, who represent the Senate and who conduct Senate procedure and make sure in-house rules are abided and that any debate is orderly. The President of the Senate also has a casting vote if there is a tie vote. The President and Deputy President of the Senate is elected from among themselves at the start of the term, they cannot be a member of Government.
When the Senate amends a bill passed by the House of Representatives it will be sent back to that chamber to be passed again with the added amendments or rejected (removing the amendments), if rejected it goes back to the Senate with the amendments removed. The same thing happens when the House of Representatives amends a bill that originates in the Senate.
A money bill passed by the House of Representatives that has not been acted on by the Senate within a month of receiving it will bypass the Senate and be received by the Governor-General for royal assent.
Other bills that are rejected by the Senate can eventually bypass the Senate if the bill has been passed in two successive sessions by the House of Representatives at least one month before the end of the session and that 6-months has passed between those two sessions and is rejected by the Senate in each of those sessions.
The House of Representatives
The House of Representatives, the lower and primary chamber, currently has 15 elected members, this number can change if constituencies are added or removed. There is a Speaker and Deputy Speaker who regulate orderly debate, represent the lower chamber, conduct procedure of the House and make sure in-house rules are abided. The Speaker has a casting vote on tied votes only if the Speaker was elected from among their own members. The Speaker can be elected from among themselves or a Commonwealth citizen outside of Parliament (which would bring members up to 16), the Deputy Speaker must be elected from among their own members, neither Speaker or Deputy Speaker can be a Government member.
The Electoral System
Parliamentary elections happen every 5-years or sooner if parliament is dissolved early for whatever reason.
The members of the House of Representatives are elected from single-seat constituencies using a first-past-the-post system. The outcome of the election in the House of Representatives determines the appointment of Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition by the Governor-General, chosen based on who he/she believes has the confidence of the majority of members (Prime Minister) and confidence of the 2nd largest number of members in opposition to the governing party (Leader of the Opposition).
To stand as a candidate one must be at least 18-years-old, a Commonwealth citizen, and has either resided in Grenada for at least 12-months or is domiciled and resident in Grenada at such date. They must also be able to speak English and unless afflicted by blindness or other physical cause, read English.
Certain things disqualify one from becoming a member such as allegiance to foreign powers, a prison sentence of longer than 12-months, being under a death sentence anywhere in the Commonwealth, having an undisclosed bankruptcy, being a member of armed or police forces, being declared insane etc.
The Senate, the upper chamber, has a term that matches alongside the lower chamber, and so is re-appointed after parliamentary elections.
For the Senate (upper chamber), seven members are appointed on advice of the Prime Minister, three appointed on advice of the Leader of the Opposition (the leader of the 2nd largest party in the lower chamber), and three more again on advice of the Prime Minister after the Prime Minister has consulted with organisations or interests of which the Prime Minister considers as such should be represented by such Senators appointed.
Qualifications and disqualifications are the same as the House of Representatives.
There is a Supervisor of Elections with the duty to exercise general supervision over registration of voters in elections of the House of Representatives and over the conduct of these elections. The Supervisor of Elections is designated by the Governor-General on his own deliberate judgement.
There is an Independent Constituency Boundaries Commission that reviews the boundaries and number of parliamentary constituencies and recommends for or against any changes to the Governor-General. Members are the Speaker of the House of Representatives who is Chairman, the others are appointed by the Governor-General each new parliamentary term (and cannot be members of either parliamentary chamber or be a public officer), two members appointed on advice of the Prime Minister and two members appointed on advice of the Leader of the Opposition.
A report must be given by the commission within 2-5 years after the last report. Any changes recommended by the commission are given by the Governor-General to the Prime Minister to submit to the House of Representatives for consent, the report is amended by the commission until consent is received.
To vote in elections one must be a Commonwealth citizen resident in Grenada who is at least 18-years-old. Voting is not mandatory.
Source
The source for this blogpost comes from Grenada’s 1973 constitution with amendments through to 1992 (constituteproject.org) and so should be as up to date as possible although there are possibly some things I missed or misinterpreted and of course the constitution can always be amended and so eventually this blogpost may become outdated and so if this is being used in a serious capacity cross-research is suggested.
Constitutional amendments are proposed by either house of Parliament and passage requires a two-thirds majority in both House of Parliament and then royal assent from the Governor-General, amendments related to personal rights and freedoms, the structure, authorities, and procedures of the branches of Government, and the delimitation of electoral constituencies, or the procedure for amending the constitution all require two-thirds support in a national referendum.
Next up will be the government system of Guatemala.
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