Slike strani
PDF
ePub

Following surrender to a British squadron under Admiral Rodney in 1762, the island passed under British dominion, and was formally ceded to the British Crown by the Treaty of Paris on 10th February 1763. Sixteen years later it was retaken by the French under the Comte D'Estaing, only to be restored to Great Britain by the Treaty of Versailles in 1783. In 1795-6 it was the scene of a rebellion against the British rule by a French colonist. The Lieutenant-Governor and 47 other British subjects were massacred by the rebels. Sir Ralph Abercromby suppressed the uprising in June 1796 and the ringleaders were executed.

Grenada joined the Federation of the West Indies as an independent member on its formation on 3rd January 1958, and remained a member until its dissolution following an Order in Council dated 23rd May 1962.

CONSTITUTION

Grenada became an Independent Nation on 1st February 1974.

Under the Constitution the Governor-General is Her Majesty's Representative. The Cabinet is collectively responsible to the Legislature for the Government of Grenada. The Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister, the other Ministers, and at any time when his office is a public office, the Attorney-General.

The Legislature consists of Her Majesty, a Senate and a House of Representatives. The 13 Senators are appointed by the Governor-General, 7 on the advice of the Prime Minister, 3 on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition and 3 on the advice of the Prime Minister after he has consulted interests which he considers Senators should be selected to represent.

LAND POLICY

All persons who are not British Commonwealth citizens wishing to own land or take shares in locally registered companies are required by law to obtain a licence. Before such licence is granted, however, each applicant must satisfy the Government as to his or her background, financial standing and general suitability. The Government imposes certain restrictions to protect the agricultural potential of the territory and to achieve balanced development.

The Government Land Settlement Policy is aimed at providing peasants with agricultural lands ranging from 2 to 5 acres. There are at present 20 such settlements in Grenada and Carriacou. There are also housing settlements which have been established with the aim of providing smaller lots for peasants and other workers who do not own lands. There are at present 28 such settlements while some other lands already provided for additional housing and land settlements are still being prepared for distribution.

GOVERNMENT

HEAD OF STATE

H.M. The Queen

GOVERNOR-GENERAL

His Excellency Sir Leo De Gale

MINISTRY

Prime Minister, Minister of External Affairs, Defence, Tourism, Information Service, Public Relations, Home Affairs, National Trust, Planning & Development, Lands & Surveys, Natural Resources, Research, Training, Colonial Development and

Welfare Project:

The Hon. Dr E. M. Gairy, OL, KGC, FRSA, JP

Gre

Minister of Finance, Trade & Industry: The Hon. George F. Hosten
Minister of Education: The Hon. J. N. Morris, MBE

Minister of Health and Housing: The Hon. David Sylvester

Minister of Communication & Works: Hon. Herbert J. Preudhomme (also Deputy Prime

Minister)

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries: Hon. Oliver T. Raeburn
Minister of Social Affairs, Culture & Co-operation: Hon. Mrs C. B. Gairy
Minister of Labour, Youth Development and Sport: Hon. F. O. Dolland
Attorney-General: (Vacant)

Minister without Portfolio and Leader of the Senate: Senator, the Hon. Derek Knight

PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIES

Prime Minister's Ministry: Senator the Hon. Norman De Souza
(responsible for Lands)

Ministry of Agriculture: Senator the Hon. Chrisla Thomas

Ministry of Labour, Youth Development & Sport: Hon. Mrs Waple Nedd
Ministry of Culture, Social Affairs & Co-operatives: Hon. Mrs Nadia Benjamin
Ministry of Health & Housing: Hon. Senator George Donovan
Ministry of Communication and Works: Hon A. O. Forsyth

PERMANENT SECRETARIES

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health & Housing: Winston E. Thomas
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Youth Development & Sport:
Otto Rupert George, Actg

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education: Lawrence Fletcher, Actg
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications & Works:
Andrew D. Mitchell, Actg

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Basil A. Preudhomme Actg
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Trade & Industry:
Lauriston Wilson (Jnr)

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Planning, Development, Training, External
Affairs, Research (other than Science): Gloria M. Payne
Permanent Secretary, Port, Harbour, Customs & Excise: Franklyn Cherman OBE
Permanent Secretary, Prime Minister's Ministry: Nolan Jacobs
Acting Cabinet Secretary: Godwin Braithwaite, MBE

DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION

BRITISH REPRESENTATIVES IN GRENADA

British High Commissioner: Mr C. E.
Diggines, CMG, resident in Port of Spain,
Trinidad.

Deputy British High Commissioner: Mr
J. R. Patterson, resident in Port of Spain,
Trinidad.

GRENADA REPRESENTATION

IN OTHER COUNTRIES

McIntyre

Britain: H.E. Mr O. M. Gibbs; Canada,
USA, UN: H.E. Mrs M. J.
(resident in Grenada); Caribbean & Latin
America: Miss F. Rapier (resident in
Grenada).

G

GUYANA

UYANA lies on the north-east shoulder of the South American continent between latitudes 1° and 9° N. and longitudes 56° and 62° W. It is 83,000 square miles in area. The Atlantic sea-coast stretches for 270 miles; from it the land extends southwards into the interior for about 450 miles. Its borders are with Venezuela to the west, Brazil to the south and Surinam to the east. The country has three distinct geographical areas—the coastal belt, the forest area and the savannah zone. The narrow coastal belt, which is generally about 10 miles in width (though it runs inland for up to 40 miles along the banks of the main rivers), and which accounts for only 4 per cent of the total area, is intensively cultivated and contains 90 per cent of the population. It lies 4 to 5 feet below sea level at high tide and is dependent upon an elaborate system of dams, walls and groynes to protect it from the sea. The flatness of the coast necessitates an equally elaborate system of drainage canals.

Behind the coastal zone the land rises, gently at first, to an area of dense rain forest and mountains. Minerals are found in this area, the most valuable being bauxite, diamonds, gold and manganese. In the south-west the forest gives way to some open savannah country, usually known as the Rupununi, although the Rupununi District is much more extensive than the savannah area. The highest point is Mount Roraima (9,094 feet) in the Pakaraima range. The sparse population of this area is predominantly Amerindian.

Guyana is notable for its mighty rivers, the four best known being the Demerara, Berbice, Essequibo and Corentyne. They are of limited navigational value because of the many rapids, bars and falls. By far the largest river is the Essequibo. Georgetown, the capital, lies at the mouth of the Demerara. The left bank of the Corentyne forms the boundary with Surinam. The most spectacular of the numerous waterfalls and rapids is Kaieteur Fall on the Potaro River which has a drop of 741 feet, nearly five times the height of Niagara Falls. In the north-west several rivers flow north-west towards the mouth of the Orinoco.

The climate is tropical, and there is very little temperature variation at the coast, where temperatures above 32°C (90° F) or below 24°C (75°F) at any time of the day or night are rare. There are greater temperature variations inland. Annual rainfall at the coast averages 90 inches. It is generally less in the interior but varies with altitude.

The last full census of the country took place in April 1970 when the total population was 714,233. Guyanese of East Indian descent account for over half the population, those of African descent for about a third; the remainder are composed of Amerindians (the aboriginal inhabitants of the country), Portuguese, Chinese and people of mixed race. Guyanese of African descent provide most of the urban and industrial community while those of East Indian descent provide most of the labour force in the sugar and rice industries. The Amerindian people live mainly in the west and south and there are a number of reserved areas for their protection.

Communications throughout the country are difficult. As mentioned above, the rivers are obstructed by rapids and falls not far from the coast. They are therefore of very limited value for communication though they do provide some sort of link with the timber and mining areas of the interior. There are roads along the coast from Charity in the Essequibo District to Springlands on the Corentyne and from Georgetown to Linden (formerly Mackenzie). Work has

started on a hinterland road project intended to provide a fair weather road from Linden through Mahdia and Annai to the Brazilian border at Lethem. Air transport is the easiest means of communication between the coast and the interior and there are some 70 landing strips and landing pools in the country. Georgetown is the main seaport, followed by New Amsterdam. Bauxite ships sail up the Demerara river as far as Lindin. The railway, the first to be constructed in South America, has been closed down.

Education is free and universal, while free secondary education is available by competitive examination at the age of 11 years. The literacy rate is about 80 per cent. The University of Guyana has a total enrolment of about 1,800. Guyana has two broadcasting stations, the Guyana Broadcasting Service and Radio Demerara.

Guyana's economy is based on sugar, bauxite and rice together with gold, diamonds, timber, cattle ranching and some small scale industry.

Total exports in 1973 were $G287 million which included (in millions of Guyana dollars).

[blocks in formation]

For the period January to June 1974 total exports were $G249 million including (in millions of Guyana dollars) bauxite $62.6; sugar $113.7; rice $14.4; fish (mostly shrimp) $4.5; timber $1.6; precious and semi-precious stones $1.0; rum $6.7.

In 1973 the value of Guyana's imports was $G373 million, of which the largest items were manufactured goods. Britain, the U.S.A., Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Canada are the major suppliers. During the period January to June 1974 imports amounted to $266 million.

In 1974, estimates of Government revenue and receipts were G $397 million and expenditure G $367 million.

HISTORY

Guyana is an Amerindian word meaning Land of Waters. This name was originally given to the territory on the north east of the South American continent which is drained by several large rivers, the most important being the Amazon, Orinoco, Demerara, Berbice, Essequibo and Corentyne. From this territory five Guianas emerged: Spanish Guiana (now Venezuela), Portuguese Guiana (now Brazil), French Guiana, Dutch Guiana (now Surinam) and British Guiana (now Guyana).

The coastline was first traced by Spanish sailors in 1499 and 1500 and the first European settlements were almost certainly Spanish or Portuguese. The Dutch established a settlement on the Pomeroon in 1581 but were evicted by Spanish and Amerindians about 1596, after which they retired to a settlement up the Essequibo River. In 1627 Dutch merchants settled on the Berbice River. The Dutch West India Company, formed in 1621, controlled these settlements.

British attempts at settlement were made in 1604, 1609 and 1629, but no permanent settlements were established. A British settlement was founded in Surinam in 1651 but this was captured by the Dutch in 1667. In October of the same year it was recaptured by a British expedition. The Dutch finally obtained possession of Surinam in mid-1668 in accordance with the Treaty of Breda.

Meanwhile, the Dutch were in possession of that part of the area which is now Guyana. Although yielding intermittently to Britain, France and Portugal, they retained their hold on the territory until 1796 when it was captured by the British. It was restored to the Dutch in 1802, but in the following year was retaken by Great Britain. At that time the territory comprised the separate colonies of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice. These were finally ceded to Great Britain in 1814.

The Courts of Policy and the Combined Courts, the legislature and executive bodies created by the Dutch remained in operation under British rule for another century. In 1831 the three Colonies merged to become British Guiana.

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A new Constitution with universal adult suffrage at the age of 21, twoChamber Legislature and a ministerial system was introduced in 1953 and a General Election was held, at which the People's Progressive Party (P.P.P.) won a majority. Later in 1953, Her Majesty's Government suspended the Constitution in circumstances which were subsequently analysed in a report by a Constitutional Commission consisting of Sir James Robertson, GCVO, GCMG, KBE, Sir Donald Jackson (then Chief Justice of the Windward and Leeward Islands) and Mr George Woodcock, CBE (then Assistant General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress).

After the Commission's report was published in November 1954 Her Majesty's Government accepted its recommendation for a period of "marking time" in the advance towards self-government. In the meantime the Colony continued to be administered in accordance with the British Guiana (Constitution) (Temporary Provisions) Order in Council of 22nd December 1953, which provided for an Executive Council of three ex officio Members and not more than seven Nominated Members; and a Legislative Council of a Speaker, the same three ex officio Members and not more than twenty-four Nominated Members.

Constitutional changes were introduced by the British Guiana (Constitutional) (Temporary Provisions) (Amendment) Order in Council 1956, providing for a Legislative Council of not more than 28 Members (excluding the Speaker) comprising three ex officio Members, not less than 14 Elected Members and not more than 11 Nominated Members. At the first election held under the amended constitution in August 1957 the number of Elected Members was 14, and six other Members were nominated by the Governor.

As a result of a resolution passed by the Legislative Council in June 1958, a Constitutional Conference was convened in London in March 1960. Following the decisions of this Conference, the British Guiana (Constitution) Order in Council, 1961 was passed, providing for a new constitution giving full internal self-government to British Guiana.

The new constitution, which came into effect on 18th July 1961, provided for a bi-cameral Legislature-a Legislative Assembly of 35 members, elected by universal adult suffrage, and a nominated Senate of 13 members, eight appointed

« PrejšnjaNaprej »