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Motto: |
Peace and Justice |
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Location: |
St. Vincent is situated in the Windward
Islands at the lower end of the Caribbean chain; the Grenadines comprise
a chain of little islands and rocks between St Vincent and Grenada |
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History: |
St. Vincent was originally settled by
Amerindians. Struggle for possession by the French and British ended
with British control in 1783 (apart from French occupation from
1778-83). The island gained independence in 1979. |
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Elections: |
Prime Minister
Ralph Gonsalves (of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) ) was returned to power
in general elections on December 7, 2005 winning by the same margin
as it did in 2000, (12 of the 15 seats contested in the elections) while
the New Democratic Party (NDP) was able to retain three seats. |
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Ruling Party: |
Unity Labour Party
(ULP) |
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Major Political Parties: |
New Democratic Party or NDP
[Arnhim EUSTACE]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by
the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for
National Unity or MNU) |
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Economic Summary: |
Economic activity is predominantly in
Tourism, followed by Agriculture, with bananas
being the main export crop. It is the world's main supplier of
arrowroot (now of minor importance). Flowers and foliage plants
are also exported. Other fruits and vegetables, including
plantains and sweet potatoes are exported to Barbados, Trinidad and
Tobago, and other regional markets.
There is a small manufacturing sector catering primarily for the
regional markets. A brewery and a rice and flour mill are in full
operation along with electronic components assembly ventures
Tourism is concentrated mainly on the Grenadines island chain, where
there are high quality beaches featuring luxury villas, hotels and
yachts.
A small offshore financial sector came on stream from about the mid
1990s. |
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Airport: |
Ebenezer Joshua; James Mitchell
International |
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Status: |
Independent - 27 October 1979 |
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Capital: |
Kingstown |
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Head of Government: |
Elections last held 7 December 2005 (next
to be held 2010)
Ralph Everard Gonsalves (born August 8, 1946), also known as "Comrade
Ralph", is the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines. He has
held that position since March 29, 2001. He is leader of the Unity
Labour Party, and won the 2001 general elections by a landslide of 12
seats to 3, after a close run in the 1998 elections. He was re-elected
in the December 2005 elections with the same parliamentary ratio.
He first entered political life as a student at the University of the
West Indies at Mona, Jamaica; in 1968, as president of the Guild of
Undergraduates, Gonsalves led the student protest at the banning of
popular historian and intellectual Walter Rodney.
Gonsalves received his Ph.D. in political science from UWI, Mona, and
went on to receive a law degree from the University of the West Indies,
Cave Hill, Barbados before returning to practise law and become an
active politician in his homeland.
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Head of State: |
Sir Frederick Nathaniel Ballantyne (born
5 July
1936) is the
Governor-General of
St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
He has been in this office since
September 2,
2002, and was
knighted in November. |
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Area: |
389 square kilometres (150 square miles) |
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Population: |
111,000 (1997) |
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Currency: |
Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) |
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GDP Per Capita (at current market prices): |
EC$7,145m (1997) |
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Total Exports: |
EC$134m (1998) |
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Total Imports: |
EC$518.8m (1998) |
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Intra-Regional Exports: |
EC$65.8m (1998) |
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Intra-Regional Imports: |
EC$127.2m (1998) |
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Business Hours: |
Commercial: 8:00-12:00; 13:00-16:00
hrs Monday to Friday
Government: 8:30-12:00, 13:00-16:00
hrs Monday to Friday
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National Holidays: |
New Year's Day (1 January); National
Heroes' Day (22 January); Good Friday; Easter Monday; May Day (5 May);
Whit Monday; CARICOM Day (first Monday in July); Carnival Tuesday (day
after CARICOM Day); August Monday (first Monday in August); Independence
Day (27 October); Christmas Day (25 December); Boxing Day (26 December)
Holidays that fall on Sunday are
celebrated the Monday following
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Date of CARICOM Membership: |
1 May 1974 |
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National Anthem: |
St. Vincent Land so beautiful with joyful
hearts we pledge to thee
Our loyalty and love, and vow to keep you ever free.
Whate'er the future brings
Our faith will see us through.
May peace reign from shore to shore,
And God bless and keep us true.
Hairoun our fair and blessed isle,
Your mountains high,
So clear and green, are home to me, though I may stray, a haven,
calm, serene.
Our little sister islands are these gems,
the lovely Grenadines,
Upon their seas and golden sands, the sunshine ever beams!
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Highest National Award: |
GCMG :
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
(A British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of
Wales (later George IV) whilst he was acting as Prince Regent for his
father, George III. The Order includes three classes, in descending order
of seniority: Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCMG) |
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National Dish: |
Pickled Flying or Jack Fish |
