A Governor General, appointed by the British monarch, is the titular head of state, with largely ceremonial powers. During the last elections in March 1994, the ALP retained power by capturing 10 of 17 parliamentary seats, down from the 15 it held under the administration of V.C. Bird Sr., the current Prime Minister's father. Security forces consist of a police force and the small Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force. The police are organized, trained, and supervised according to British law enforcement practices and have a reputation for respecting individual rights in the performance of their duties. Antigua and Barbuda has a mixed economy with a strong private sector.
Tourism is the most important source of foreign exchange earnings.
The country is burdened by a large and growing external debt which remains a serious economic problem. Although the Government generally respected constitutional provisions for political and civil rights, opposition parties complained that they received no coverage or opportunity to express their views on the government-controlled electronic media. Societal discrimination and violence against women also continued to be problems. There were no reports of political or other extrajudicial killings. There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances.