l
House of Assembly: election last held 6 September 1994 (next to be
held by January 1999); results - percentage vote by party NA; seats
- (28 total) BLP 19, DLP 8,NDP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature, judges are appointed
by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party (DLP), David
THOMPSON; Barbados Labor Party (BLP), Owen ARTHUR; National
Democratic Party (NDP), Richard HAYNES

Other political or pressure groups: Barbados Workers Union, Leroy
TROTMAN; People's Progressive Movement, Eric SEALY; Workers' Party
of Barbados, Dr. George BELLE; Clement Payne Labor Union, David
COMMISSIONG

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN
chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9218, 9219
FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
consulate(s): Los Angeles

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanette W. HYDE
embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,
Bridgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055
telephone: [1] (809) 436-4950
FAX: [1] (809) 429-5246

Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and
blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the
trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the
colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Economy
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Economic overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy has been
dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but in
recent years the production has diversified into manufacturing and
tourism. Sluggish performances in the sugar and tourism sectors -
which declined by 25% and 8% respectively - tempered economic
expansion in 1995; output increased by 2% for the year, down from
nearly 4% in 1994. Improved weather conditions in 1995 are expected
to boost agriculture output in 1996. Since taking office in 1994,
Prime Minister ARTHUR has aggressively moved to promote foreign
direct inv