C ommo nwe a l t h memb e r c o u n t r i e s Government and politics Last elections: January 2010 Next elections: 2015 Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor-General, Sir Edmund Lawrence (2013–) Head of Government: Prime Minister Dr Denzil Llewellyn Douglas Ruling party: St Kitts–Nevis Labour Party Dr Denzil Douglas and the St Kitts–Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) were returned to power in the general election of October 2004, which was observed by a Commonwealth expert team. The ruling party took seven of the St Kitts seats, and the People’s Action Movement (PAM) one. The Nevis seats were again divided between the Concerned Citizens’ Movement (CCM; two seats) and the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP; one). In January 2010 the SKNLP won its fourth consecutive general election, taking six seats in St Kitts and 47 per cent of the national vote; and Douglas was returned as Prime Minister. The remaining seats were again divided between PAM (two in St Kitts; 32 per cent), CCM (two in Nevis; 11 per cent) and NRP (one in Nevis; ten per cent). The election was observed by a Commonwealth expert team. Governor-General Sir Cuthbert Sebastian retired on 1 January 2013, from the office he had held since 1996, and was succeeded by Sir Edmund Lawrence on 2 January 2013. Nevis The CCM’s long run of power was interrupted in the July 2006 Nevis Island Assembly elections, when NRP gained three seats and the CCM two. NRP leader Joseph Parry became premier. In closely fought Nevis Island Assembly elections, in July 2011, the NRP (with three seats and 50.2 per cent of the vote) defeated the CCM (two seats and 49.8 per cent) and Parry continued as premier. The CCM (with three seats) won the January 2013 Nevis Island Assembly elections and Vance Amory was sworn in as premier. The NRP took the remaining two seats. Local government On St Kitts there are 14 parishes, but no devolved government. The island of Nevis is governed by the Nevis Island Assembly, as provided for in the constitution. Further information Government of St Christopher and Nevis: www.gov.kn Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org Commonwealth Governance: www.commonwealthgovernance.org Governance institutions Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 250 Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court: www.eccourts.org Office of the Prime Minister: www.cuopm.org Eastern Caribbean Central Bank: www.eccbcentralbank. org Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange: www.ecseonline.com Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority: www.ectel.int
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