Guyana Government 1997

Country name
conventional long form : Co-operative Republic of Guyana
conventional short form: Guyana
former: British Guiana

Data code GY

Government type republic

National capital Georgetown

Administrative divisions 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne,Essequibo 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 Samuel HINDS (since March 1997); replaced CheddiJAGAN who died in office, March 1997
head of government: Prime Minister Janet JAGAN (since March 1997); filled vacancy createdwhen Samuel HINDS ascended to office of Executive President following deathof Cheddi JAGAN, March 1997
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to thelegislature
elections: president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly afterlegislative elections, which must be held within five years; legislative electionslast held 5 October 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); prime minister appointedby the president

Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53 popularly elected; membersserve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 5 October 1992 (next to be held by October 1997)
election results: percent of vote by party - PPP 53.4%, PNC 42.3%, WPA 2%, TUF 1.2%; seatsby party - PPP 36, PNC 26, WPA 2, TUF 1

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; WorkingPeople's Alliance (WPA), Rupert ROOPNARINE; Democratic Labor Movement (DLM),Paul TENNASSEE; People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Llewellyn JOHN; NationalDemocratic Front (NDF), Joseph BACCHUS; The United Force (TUF), Manzoor NADIR;United Republican Party (URP), Leslie RAMSAMMY; National Republican Party(NRP), Robert GANGADEEN; Guyana Labor Party (GLP); Guyana Democratic Party(GDP), Asgar ALLY; Guyanese Organized 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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
chancery : 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900, 6901
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Hugh SIMON
embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
telephone: [592] (2) 54900 through 54909, 57960 through 57969
FAX : [592] (2) 58497

Flag description green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposedon a long yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow black border between the redand yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and the green

NOTE: The information regarding Guyana on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Guyana Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Guyana Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.