and the Grenadines have a parliamentary democracy, similar to Great Britain. In the Executive branch of government, the Chief of State is Queen Elizabeth II, who appoints and is represented by a Governor General. The Governor General appoints the Prime Minister, who is usually the leader of the majority party. The Legislative branch of government is made up of a unicameral House of Assembly with 21 seats. 15 representative seats are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies, and six senator seats are appointed. The Judicial branch of government is the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, based on Saint Lucia. One judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent. The legal system is based on English common law. The capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is Kingstown, located on the southwest side of the island of Saint Vincent.ECONOMYBanana production dominates the agriculture sector of the economy, and is the most important sector of the lower to middle income economy. The service sector is based mostly on a growing tourism industry, which offers considerable potential. The government has been unsuccessful at introducing new industry into the economy. The industrial production growth rate is a –0.9%. The labor force of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines consists of approximately 67,000 people. About 26% are employed in the agriculture sector, 17% in industry, and 57% in the service sector. Industries in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines consist of food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, and starch. Agriculture in the country includes bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices, and small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and fish. The unemployment rate stands around 22%. The highest levels are among persons engaged in construction (32%), wholesale and retail trade (11%), and agriculture (11%). In the outlying communities of Saint Vincent, over 40% of the population is considered poor. ...
