Islands-West
Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper
Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution: 6 October 1980

Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of
Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Executive President Janet JAGAN (since December 1997);
replaced Samuel HINDS
head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since December 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible
to the legislature
elections: president elected by the majority party in the National
Assembly after legislative elections which must be held within five
years; legislative elections last held 15 December 1997 (next to be
held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53
popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 15 December 1997 (next to be held by March
2003)
election results: percent of vote by party-PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%,
TUF 1%; seats by party-PPP 36, PNC 25, AFG 2, TUF 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature

Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party (PPP),
People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE; For a Good and
Green Guyana (GGG), Hamilton GREEN; Alliance for Guyana (AFG), Rupert
ROOPNARINE; Democratic Labor Movement (DLM), Paul TENNASSEE; People's
Democratic Movement (PDM), Llewellyn JOHN; National Democratic Front
(NDF), Joseph BACCHUS; The United Force (TUF), Manzoor NADIR; National
Republican Party (NRP), Robert GANGADEEN; Guyana Labor Party (GLP);
Guyana Democratic Party (GDP), Asgar ALLY; Guyanese Organization for
Liberty and Democracy Party (GOLD), Anthony MEKDECI

Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress (TUC);
Guyana Council of Indian Organizations (GCIO); Civil Liberties Action
Committee (CLAC)
note: the latter two organizations are small and active but not well
organized

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WH