Disagreement over the structure of this federation and the withdrawal of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago led to an early demise. Trinidad and Tobago achieved full independence from the United Kingdom in 1962 and joined the British Commonwealth. In 1976 a Republican constitution was adopted, replacing the Queen as Head of State with a President elected by the Parliament. After its 1962 independence, Trinidad and Tobago joined the UN and the Commonwealth. In 1995 Trinidad played host to the inaugural meeting of the Association of Caribbean States and has become the seat of this organisation which seeks to further economic progress and integration among its states.
Parliament is bicameral.
Suffrage is universal from the age of 18. Executive power is vested in the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. The judiciary is independent with the highest appellate court being the Court of Appeals. Under certain circumstances, final appeals go to the Judicial committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. There are plans to replace this avenue of appeal with a Caribbean Court of Justice which would serve a number of Caribbean countries.