Government and Politics of Montserrat

Government Type

NA

Administrative Divisions

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Legal System

English common law and statutory law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Executive Branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022), represented by Governor Sarah TUCKER (since March 2020) head of government: Premier Joseph FARRELL (since 12 November 2019) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the premier, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the financial secretary elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes premier

Legislative Branch

Unicameral Legislative Assembly (12 seats; 9 members directly elected in a single constituency by simple majority vote and 3 ex-officio members — the attorney general, the financial secretary, and the deputy governor — who serve in a non-voting capacity; elected members serve five-year terms). Note: The body was renamed from the Legislative Council to the Legislative Assembly following the adoption of Montserrat's revised Constitution in 2011. The single constituency/voter-at-large system, introduced by the Elections Commission in 2001, remains in place, whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine elected seats. Elections: Last held on November 18, 2019 (next to be held in 2024). Election results: Seats by party — People's Democratic Movement (PDM) 5, Movement for Change and Prosperity (MCAP) 4.

Judicial Branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)

Political Parties

National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Head of State

King CHARLES III, represented by Governor Sarah TUCKER (since March 2020)

Head of Government

Premier Joseph FARRELL

Cabinet

Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary

Elections

Last held on November 18, 2019 (next to be held in 2024).

Election Results

Seats by party — People's Democratic Movement (PDM) 5, Movement for Change and Prosperity (MCAP) 4.

Constitution

present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National Holiday

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

International Organization Participation

Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

none (overseas territory of the UK)

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Capital City

Plymouth; note - Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, the de facto capital, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat

Location

16 42 N, 62 13 W

Time Difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

now entirely deserted because of volcanic activity, the city was originally named after Plymouth, England; de jure, Plymouth remains the capital city of Montserrat; it is therefore the only ghost town that serves as the capital of a political entity

U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown Wildey Business park Wildey St. Michael, Barbados Telephone: (246) 227-4399 Emergency after-hours telephone: (246) 227-4000 Facsimile: (246) 431-0179 Email: BridgetownACS@state.gov Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Barbadian and U.S. holidays.

Military Branches

no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force