Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth.
Independence: November 30, 1966.
Constitution: 1966.
Branches: Executive--governor general (representing Queen Elizabeth II, head of state), prime minister (head of government), cabinet. Legislative--bicameral Parliament. Judicial--magistrate's courts, Supreme Court (High Court and Court of Appeals), Caribbean Court of Justice in Trinidad and Tobago.
Subdivisions: Eleven parishes and the city of Bridgetown.
Political parties: Barbados Labour Party (BLP, incumbent), Democratic Labour Party (DLP), People's Empowerment Party (PEP).
Suffrage: Universal at 18.

BARBADOS GOVERNMENT AND BARBADOS POLITICAL CONDITIONS
The two main political parties--the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), the Democratic Labour Party (DLP)--are both moderate and have no major ideological differences; electoral contests and political disputes often have personal overtones. The major political problems facing Barbados today are in promoting economic growth: creating jobs, encouraging agricultural diversification, attracting foreign investment, and promoting tourism.

The ruling BLP was decisively returned to power in May 2003 elections, winning 23 seats in the Parliament with the DLP gaining seven seats. The Prime Minister, Owen Arthur, who also serves as Minister of Finance, has given a high priority to economic development and diversification. The main opposition party, the DLP, is led by David Thompson, a Member of Parliament.

Principal Government Officials
Head of State--Queen Elizabeth II
Governor General--Sir Clifford Straughn Husbands
Prime Minister--Owen Seymour Arthur

Deputy Prime Minister--Mia Amor Mottley
Ambassador to the United States and the OAS--Michael King
Ambassador to the UN--Dr. Christopher Hackett

Barbados maintains an embassy in the United States at 2144 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008 (tel. 202-939-9200), a consulate general in New York City at 800 2nd Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, New York 10017 (tel. 212-867-8435), and a consulate general in Miami at 150 Alhambra Circle, Suite 1270, Coral Gables, FL 33134 (tel. 305-442-1994).