A prime minister, a cabinet, and a bicameral legislative assembly compose the Government. A Governor General, appointed by the British monarch, is the titular Head of State, with largely ceremonial duties. 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. The country was devastated in September when hurricane Luis caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Although the Government generally respected constitutional provisions for political and civil rights, opposition parties complained that they received scant coverage from the government-controlled media, and that the Government sometimes denied them permits for rallies. Societal discrimination and violence against women also continued to be problems. There were no reports of political or other extrajudicial killings.