Politics of Trinidad and Tobago - wikipedia Politics of Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Trinidad and Tobago Government President ( list ) Anthony Carmona Prime Minister Keith Rowley Parliament Senate House of Representatives Leader of the Opposition Kamla Persad - Bissessar Judiciary Supreme Court Chief Justice : Ivor Archie Court of Appeal High Court Magistracy Family Court Privy Council committee ( UK ) Elections Recent elections General : 2002 2007 2015 Political parties Local government Administrative divisions Former counties Tobago House of Assembly Foreign relations Minister of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic missions of Trinidad and Tobago to Trinidad and Tobago Passport Visa requirements Other countries Atlas The politics of Trinidad and Tobago function within the framework of a unitary state regulated by a parliamentary democracy modelled on that of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, from which the country gained its independence in 1962. Under the 1976 republican Constitution, the British monarch was replaced as head of state by a President chosen by an electoral college composed of the members of the bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The country has remained a member of the Commonwealth, and has retained the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London as its highest court of appeal. The view of Ernest TC - Singh is that the general direction and control of the government rests with the Cabinet, led by a Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are answerable ( at least in theory ) to the House of Representatives. The 41 members of the House are elected to terms of at least five years. Elections may be called earlier by the president at the request of the prime minister or after a vote of no confidence in the House of Representatives. In 1976, the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18. The Senate 's 31 members are appointed by the President : 16 on the advice of the prime minister, six on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and nine independents selected by the President from among outstanding members of the community. Local government is through nine Regional Corporations and five municipalities. Tobago was given a measure of self - government in 1980 and is governed by the Tobago House of Assembly. In 1996, Parliament passed legislation which gave Tobago greater self - government. In 2005 Parliament approved a proposal by the independent Elections and Boundaries Commission to increase the number of seats in the House of Representatives from 36 to 41. Party politics has generally run along ethnic lines, with most Afro - Trinidadians supporting the People 's National Movement ( PNM ) and most Indo - Trinidadians supporting various Indian - majority parties, such as the current United National Congress ( UNC ) or its predecessors. Most political parties, however, have sought to broaden their purview. In the run - up to the 2007 general election, a new political presence emerged called Congress of The People ( COP ). Led by former Winston Dookeran, the majority of this membership was formed from former UNC members. Despite gaining a significant but minority share of the vote in various constituencies, the COP failed to capture a single seat. An early general election was called on 16 April 2010, and was held on 24 May 2010. Two major entities contested the election : the incumbent PNM, and a coalition called the People 's Partnership, led by UNC leader Kamla Persad - Bissessar, comprising the UNC, COP, TOP ( Tobago Organisation of the People ), and two labour and non-governmental organisations : the National Joint Action Committee and the Movement for Social Justice. The People 's Partnership won 29 seats and the majority, with Kamla Persad - Bissessar being sworn in as the country 's first female Prime Minister on 26 May 2010. The PNM won the remaining 12 seats and comprised the opposition in parliament. After the period a new party also emerged from an ex member of the United National Congress known as the ILP which was founded by FIFA ex-vice president Jack Warner In the 2015 general election resulted in a victory for the People 's National Movement, which won 23 of the 41 seats led by Keith Rowley. Contents 1 Executive branch 2 Legislative branch 3 Political parties and elections 4 Judicial branch 5 Administrative divisions 6 International organization participation 7 References 8 External links Executive branch Whitehall, the official office of the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Main office holders Office Name Party Since President Anthony Carmona Independent 18 March 2013 Prime Minister Keith Rowley People 's National Movement 9 September 2015 The President is elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five - year term. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President from among the members of Parliament ; following legislative elections, the person with the most support among the elected members of the House of Representatives is appointed Prime Minister, usually the leader of the winning party. The cabinet is appointed from among the Members of Parliament, which constitutes elected Members of the House of Representatives and appointed Members of the Senate Cabinet ministers of Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister : Keith Rowley Attorney - General : Faris Al - Rawi Minister of National Security : Edmund Dillon Minister of Finance : Colm Imbert Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs : Denis Moses Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development : Camille Robinson - Regis Minister of Trade and Industry : Paula Gopee - Scoon Minister of Energy and Energy Industries : Franklin Khan Minister of Tourism : Shamfa Cudjoe Minister of Rural Development and Local Government : Kazim Hosein Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries : Clarence Rambharat Minister of Housing and Urban Development : Randall Mitchell Minister of Works and Transport : Rohan Sinanan Minister of Public Utilities : Keith Rowley Minister of Communications and Public Administration : Maxie Cuffie Minister of Health : Terrence Deyalsingh Minister of Education : Anthony Garcia Minister of Labour and Small Enterprise Development : Jennifer Baptiste - Primus Minister of Social Development and Family Services : Cherrie - Ann Crichlow - Cockburn Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts : Nyan Gadsby - Dolly Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs : Darryl Smith Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister : Ayanna Webster - Roy Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister : Stuart Young Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affiars : Fitzgerald Hinds Minister of State in the Ministry of Education : Lovell Francis Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of National Security : Glenda Jennings - Smith Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries : Avinash Singh Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Energy : Nicole Olivierre Following the 2015 general elections, a number of ministries were removed, while others were consolidated or reintroduced. Removed Consolidated Reintroduced Ministry of the People Ministry of Works and Transport ( formerly Min Works and Infrastructure and Min Transport ) Ministry of Agriculture Ministry of Gender Ministry of Rural Development ( formerly Local Government ) Ministry of Social Development Ministry of Youth and Child Development -- -- Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism -- -- Ministry of Justice -- -- Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education -- -- Ministry of Food Production -- -- Ministry of Environment and Water Resources -- -- Ministry of National Diversity and Social Integration -- -- Legislative branch The Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has two chambers. The House of Representatives has 41 members, elected for a five - year term in single - seat constituencies. The Senate has 31 members : 16 Government Senators appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, six Opposition Senators appointed on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition and nine Independent Senators appointed by the President to represent other sectors of civil society. The 15 member Tobago House of Assembly has limited autonomy with respect to Tobago. Political parties and elections For other political parties, see List of political parties in Trinidad and Tobago. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Trinidad and Tobago. e d Summary of the 7 September 2015 House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago election results Parties Votes % Seats People 's National Movement 378,447 51.68 % 23 People 's Partnership Coalition 341,597 46.64 % 18 Independent Liberal Party 5,123 0.70 % 0 Others 7,173 0.98 % 0 Total valid votes 732,340 100.00 41 Invalid / blank votes 2,452 -- -- Total ( turnout 66.84 % ) 734,792 100 Source : EBC note : Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members ( 12 elected ) serving four - year terms ; in the 2005 elections the PNM won. Political parties in Trinidad and Tobago Current parties National Solidarity Assembly People 's Partnership Congress of the People National Joint Action Committee Tobago Organisation of the People United National Congress Independent Liberal Party Movement for Social Justice New National Vision People 's National Movement Defunct parties African National Congress Butler Party Caribbean National Labour Party Caribbean People 's Democratic Party Caribbean Socialist Party Citizens ' Alliance Communist Party of Trinidad and Tobago Democratic Action Congress Democratic Labour Party Democratic National Assembly Democratic Party Fargo House Movement Liberal Party Liberation Action Party Movement for Unity and Progress National Alliance for Reconstruction National Democratic Organisation National Freedom Party National Transformation Party National Trinidad and Tobago Party Natural Law Party Organisation for National Reconstruction Party of Political Progress Groups People 's Democratic Party People 's Empowerment Party People 's Popular Movement People 's Republican Party People 's Voice Party Progressive Democratic Party Seukeran Independent Party Social Democratic Labour Party Tapia House Movement The Mercy Society Trade Union Council Trades Union Congress and Socialist Party Trinidad Labour Party United Freedom Party United Front United Labour Front West Indian Independence Party West Indian National Party West Indian Political Congress Movement Workers and Farmers Party Young People 's National Party Portal : Politics List of political parties Politics of Trinidad and Tobago Judicial branch The country 's highest court is the Court of Appeal, whose chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition. The current Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago is Ivor Archie. Final appeal on some matters is decided by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. Trinidad and Tobago was chosen by its Caribbean neighbours ( Caricom ) to be the headquarters site of the Caribbean Court of Justice ( CCJ ) which was supposed to replace the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the fall of 2003. However, the government has been unable to pass legislation to effect this change. Administrative divisions Main article : Regional Corporations and Municipalities of Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad is divided in five Municipalities Arima, Chaguanas, Port of Spain, Point Fortin, San Fernando and nine Regional Corporations Couva - Tabaquite - Talparo, Diego Martin, Penal - Debe, Princes Town, Rio Claro - Mayaro, San Juan - Laventille, Sangre Grande, Siparia, and Tunapuna - Piarco. Local government in Tobago is handled by the Tobago House of Assembly. International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G - 24, G - 77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO References Jump up ^ Linda Hutchinson - Jafar, `` Trinidad and Tobago sets early election May 24 '', Reuters, 16 April 2010. Jump up ^ `` A look at the People 's Partnership '', Trinidad & Tobago Newsday, 23 April 2010. Jump up ^ admin. ( 2002 ). `` Structure of the Judiciary ''. The Judiciary of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Jump up ^ admin. ( 2002 ). `` Appointment to the Judiciary ''. JT&T. Retrieved 10 September 2010. Jump up ^ admin. ( 2008 ). `` Chief judges and Chief justices of Trinidad and Tobago ''. JT&T. Retrieved 10 September 2010. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Politicians of Trinidad and Tobago. The Elections and Boundaries Commission ( EB&C ), Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago articles History Spanish missions French invasion of Tobago ( 1781 ) British invasion of Trinidad ( 1797 ) Independence Act Social unrest Geography Cities and towns Dry forests Natural history Islands Rivers Wildlife Politics Administrative divisions Attorney General Chief Justice Elections Foreign relations Head of State Human rights Military Parliament Politics Political parties President Prime Minister Economy Dollar ( currency ) Telecommunications Transportation Society Crime Demographics Education Health Religion Culture Cuisine Flag Literature Media Music Public holidays Outline Index Book Portal Politics of the Americas North America South America Sovereign states Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Bahamas Barbados Belize Bolivia Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago United States Uruguay Venezuela Dependencies and other territories Anguilla Aruba Bermuda Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Curaçao Falkland Islands French Guiana Greenland Guadeloupe Martinique Montserrat Puerto Rico Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands US Virgin Islands Legislatures in South America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela Aruba Curaçao Falkland Islands French Guiana Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Politics_of_Trinidad_and_Tobago&oldid=814712830 '' Categories : Politics of Trinidad and Tobago Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Français Português Edit links This page was last edited on 10 December 2017, at 13 : 20. 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Question: what is the type of government in trinidad and tobago
Answer: a unitary state regulated by a parliamentary democracy modelled on that of Great Britain and Northern Ireland