Guyana Government
Guyana Government: A summary of information about Guyana Government, from government research data as well as independent research and other sources.
Guyana: Government
Country name
conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana
Data code
GY
Government type
republic within the Commonwealth
Capital
Georgetown
Administrative divisions
10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Independence
26 May 1966 (from UK)
National holiday
Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Constitution
6 October 1980
Legal system
based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since NA August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President JAGAN head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at least every five years; elections last held 15 December 1997 (next to be held by January 2001); prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 15 December 1997 (next to be held by January 2001; this date was part of a negotiated settlement between the two main political parties following a dispute over the December elections) election results: percent of vote by party - PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%, TUF 1%; seats by party - PPP 29, PNC 22, AFG 1, TUF 1
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High Court
Political parties and leaders
Alliance for Guyana or AFG [Rupert ROOPNARINE]; Democratic Labor Movement or DLM ; For a Good and Green Guyana or GGG ; Guyana Democratic Party or GDP ; Guyana Labor Party or GLP ; Guyanese Organization for Liberty and Democracy Party or GOLD [Anthony MEKDECI]; National Democratic Front or NDF ; National Republican Party or NRP ; People's Democratic Movement or PDM ; People's National Congress or PNC ; People's Progressive Party or PPP ; The United Force or TUF ; Working People's Alliance or WPA
Political pressure groups and leaders
Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of Indian Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well organized
International organization participation
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 265-6900 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MACK embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown telephone: (2) 54900 through 54909, 57960 through 57969 FAX: (2) 59497
Flag description
green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border between the yellow and the green
