Saint Vincent And The Grenadines

 

 

Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs                                          
June 2007                                                                     
                                                                       
  Background Note: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines                           
                                                                       
  The flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is three vertical bands of blue  
  (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green
  diamonds arranged in a V pattern.                                           
                                                                       
  PROFILE                                                                     
                                                                       
  OFFICIAL NAME:                                                              
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines                                            
                                                                       
  Geography                                                                   
  Area: 340 sq. km. (130 sq. mi.); slightly less than twice the size of       
  Washington, DC. The Grenadines include 32 islands, the largest of which are 
  Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, and Union. Some of the smaller islands are       
  privately owned.                                                            
  Cities: Capital--Kingstown.                                                 
  Terrain: Volcanic and mountainous, with the highest peak, Soufriere, rising 
  to 1,219 meters (4,000 ft.).                                                
  Climate: Tropical.                                                          
                                                                       
  People                                                                      
  Nationality: Noun and adjective--Vincentian.                                
  Population (2005): 119,100.                                                 
  Annual growth rate (1998): 0.5%.                                            
  Ethnic groups: African descent (66%), mixed (19%), West Indian (6%), Carib  
  Indian (2%), other (7%).                                                    
  Religions: Anglican (47%), Methodist (28%), Roman Catholic (13%), other     
  Protestant denominations, Seventh-day Adventist, and Hindu.                 
  Language: English (official); some French Patois spoken.                    
  Education (2004): Adult literacy--88.1%.                                    
  Health (2006): Infant mortality rate--14/1,000. Life expectancy--men 72     
  years; women 75.8 years.                                                    
  Workforce (2004): 55,431.                                                   
  Unemployment (2004): 12%.                                                   
                                                                       
  Government                                                                  
  Type: Parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the       
  Commonwealth.                                                               
  Independence: October 27, 1979.                                             
  Constitution: October 27, 1979.                                             
  Branches: Executive--governor general (representing Queen Elizabeth II, head
  of state), prime minister (head of government), cabinet.                    
  Legislative--unicameral legislature with 15-member elected House of Assembly
  and six-member appointed Senate. Judicial--district courts, Eastern Caribbean
  Supreme Court (High Court and Court of Appeals), final appeal to the Privy  
  Council in London.                                                          
  Subdivisions: Six parishes.                                                 
  Political parties: Unity Labour Party (ULP, incumbent), New Democratic Party
  (NDP).                                                                      
  Suffrage: Universal at 18.                                                  
                                                                       
  Economy                                                                     
  GDP (2005): $428.1 million.                                                 
  GDP growth (2005): 4.9%.                                                    
  Per capita GDP (2005): $3,594.                                              
  Inflation (2005): 4.6%.                                                     
  Natural resources: Timber.                                                  
  Agriculture: Mostly bananas.                                                
  Industry: Plastic products, food processing, cement, furniture, clothing,   
  starch, and detergents.                                                     
  Trade (2005): Exports--$40 million (merchandise) and $155 million (commercial
  services). Major markets--European Union (27.2%), Barbados (12.7%), Trinidad
  and Tobago (12.3%), Saint Lucia (10.9%), and the United States (9.2%).      
  Imports--$240 million (merchandise) and $74 million (commercial services).  
  Major suppliers--United States (33.3%), Trinidad and Tobago (23.6%), European
  Union (15.1%), Japan (4.2%), and Barbados (3.9%).                           
  Official exchange rate: EC$2.70 = U.S. $1.                                  
                                                                       
  PEOPLE                                                                      
  Most Vincentians are the descendants of African slaves brought to the island
  to work on plantations. There also are a few white descendants of English   
  colonists, as well as some East Indians, Carib Indians, and a sizable       
  minority of mixed race. The country's official language is English, but a   
  French patois may be heard on some of the Grenadine Islands.                
                                                                       
  HISTORY                                                                     
  Carib Indians aggressively prevented European settlement on St. Vincent until
  the 18th century. African slaves--whether shipwrecked or escaped from St.   
  Lucia and Grenada and seeking refuge in St. Vincent--intermarried with the  
  Caribs and became known as "black Caribs." Beginning in 1719, French settlers
  cultivated coffee, tobacco, indigo, cotton, and sugar on plantations worked 
  by African slaves. In 1763, St. Vincent was ceded to Britain. Restored to   
  French rule in 1779, St. Vincent was regained by the British under the Treaty
  of Versailles in 1783. Conflict between the British and the black Caribs    
  continued until 1796, when General Abercrombie crushed a revolt fomented by 
  the French radical Victor Hugues. More than 5,000 black Caribs were         
  eventually deported to Roatan, an island off the coast of Honduras.         
                                                                       
  Slavery was abolished in 1834; the resulting labor shortages on the         
  plantations attracted Portuguese immigrants in the 1840s and east Indians in
  the 1860s. Conditions remained harsh for both former slaves and immigrant   
  agricultural workers, as depressed world sugar prices kept the economy      
  stagnant until the turn of the century.                                     
                                                                       
  From 1763 until independence, St. Vincent passed through various stages of  
  colonial status under the British. A representative assembly was authorized 
  in 1776, Crown Colony government installed in 1877, a legislative council   
  created in 1925, and universal adult suffrage granted in 1951.              
                                                                       
  During this period, the British made several unsuccessful attempts to       
  affiliate St. Vincent with other Windward Islands in order to govern the    
  region through a unified administration. The most notable was the West Indies
  Federation, which collapsed in 1962. St. Vincent was granted associate      
  statehood status in 1969, giving it complete control over its internal      
  affairs. Following a referendum in 1979, St. Vincent and the Grenadines     
  became the last of the Windward Islands to gain independence.               
                                                                       
  Natural disasters have plagued the country throughout the 20th century. In  
  1902, the La Soufriere volcano erupted, killing 2,000 people. Much farmland 
  was damaged, and the economy deteriorated. In April 1979, La Soufriere      
  erupted again. Although no one was killed, thousands had to be evacuated, and
  there was extensive agricultural damage. In 1980 and 1987, hurricanes       
  devastated banana and coconut plantations; 1998 and 1999 also saw very active
  hurricane seasons, with hurricane Lenny in 1999 causing extensive damage to 
  the west coast of the island.                                               
                                                                       
  GOVERNMENT                                                                  
  St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a parliamentary democracy within the      
  Commonwealth of Nations. Queen Elizabeth II is head of state and is         
  represented on the island by a governor general, an office with mostly      
  ceremonial functions. Control of the government rests with the prime minister
  and the cabinet.                                                            
                                                                       
  The parliament is a unicameral body, consisting of 15 elected members and six
  appointed senators. The governor general appoints senators, four on the     
  advice of the prime minister and two on the advice of the leader of the     
  opposition. The parliamentary term of office is five years, although the    
  prime minister may call elections at any time.                              
                                                                       
  As in other English-speaking Caribbean countries, the judiciary in St.      
  Vincent is rooted in British common law. There are 11 courts in three       
  magisterial districts. The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, comprising a High
  Court and a Court of Appeals, is known in St. Vincent as the St. Vincent and
  the Grenadines supreme court. The court of last resort is the judicial      
  committee of Her Majesty's Privy Council in London.                         
                                                                       
  There is no local government in St. Vincent, and all six parishes are       
  administered by the central government.                                     
                                                                       
  Principal Government Officials                                              
  Head of State--Queen Elizabeth II                                           
  Governor General--Sir Frederick Ballantyne                                  
  Prime Minister--Ralph E. Gonsalves                                          
  Minister of Foreign Affairs, Commerce, and Trade--Sir Louis Straker         
  Ambassador to the United States and the OAS--Ellsworth I. A. John           
  Ambassador to the UN--Margaret Hughes Ferrari                               
                                                                       
  St. Vincent and the Grenadines maintains an embassy at 3216 New Mexico Ave.,
  NW, Washington, DC 20016 (tel. 202-364-6730). St. Vincent also has a consul 
  resident in New York.                                                       
                                                                       
  POLITICAL CONDITIONS                                                        
  The People's Political Party (PPP), founded in 1952 by Ebenezer Joshua, was 
  the first major political party in St. Vincent. The PPP had its roots in the
  labor movement and was in the forefront of national policy prior to         
  independence, winning elections from 1957 through 1966. With the development
  of a more conservative black middle class, however, the party began to lose 
  support steadily, until it collapsed after a rout in the 1979 elections. The
  party dissolved itself in 1984.                                             
                                                                       
  Founded in 1955, the St. Vincent Labour Party (SVLP), under R. Milton Cato, 
  gained the support of the middle class. With a conservative law-and-order   
  message and a pro-Western foreign policy, the SVLP dominated politics from  
  the mid-1960s until the mid-1980s. Following victories in the 1967 and 1974 
  elections, the SVLP led the island to independence, winning the first       
  post-independence election in 1979. Expecting an easy victory for the SVLP in
  1984, Cato called early elections. The results were surprising: with a record
  89% voter turnout, James F. Mitchell's New Democratic Party (NDP) won nine  
  seats in the House of Assembly.                                             
                                                                       
  Bolstered by a resurgent economy in the mid-1980s, Mitchell led his party to
  an unprecedented sweep of all 15 House of Assembly seats in the 1989        
  elections. The opposition emerged from the election weakened and fragmented 
  but was able to win three seats during the February 1994 elections under a  
  "unity" coalition. In 1998, Prime Minister Mitchell and the NDP were returned
  to power for an unprecedented fourth term but only with a slim margin of 8  
  seats to 7 seats for the Unity Labour Party (ULP). The NDP was able to      
  accomplish a return to power while receiving a lesser share of the popular  
  vote, approximately 45% to the ULP's 55%. In March 2001, the ULP, led by    
  Ralph Gonsalves, assumed power after winning 12 of the 15 seats in          
  Parliament.                                                                 
                                                                       
  In the December 2005 parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Gonsalves and  
  the ULP retained their 12-3 majority over the NDP.                          
                                                                       
  ECONOMY                                                                     
  Banana production employs upwards of 60% of the work force and accounts for 
  50% of merchandise exports in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Such reliance 
  on one crop makes the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in banana prices and
  the erosion of European Union trade preferences. To combat these            
  vulnerabilities, the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is focused
  on diversifying its economy away from reliance on bananas.                  
                                                                       
  Although less prominent than in other Eastern Caribbean countries, tourism  
  has grown to become a very important part of the economy, and the chief     
  earner of foreign exchange. The Grenadines have become a favorite of high-end
  tourism and the focus of new development in the country. In 1996, new cruise
  ship and ferry berths came on line, sharply increasing the number of        
  passenger arrivals. In 2004, total visitor arrivals numbered 160,000.       
                                                                       
  St. Vincent and the Grenadines' currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar    
  (EC$), a regional currency shared among members of the Eastern Caribbean    
  Currency Union (ECCU). The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) issues the 
  EC$, manages monetary policy, and regulates and supervises commercial banking
  activities in its member countries. The ECCB has kept the EC$ pegged at     
  EC$2.7=U.S. $1.                                                             
                                                                       
  St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean Basin 
  Initiative that grants duty-free entry into the United States for many goods.
  St. Vincent and the Grenadines also belongs to the predominantly            
  English-speaking Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) and the    
  CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).                                   
                                                                       
  FOREIGN RELATIONS                                                           
  St. Vincent and the Grenadines maintains close ties to the United States,   
  Canada, and the United Kingdom, and is a member of regional political and   
  economic organizations such as the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States 
  (OECS) and CARICOM. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is also a member of the  
  United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American   
  States (OAS), and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).                
                                                                       
  U.S.-ST. VINCENT RELATIONS                                                  
  The United States and St. Vincent have solid bilateral relations. Both      
  governments are concerned with eradicating local marijuana cultivation and  
  combating the transshipment of narcotics. In 1995, the United States and St.
  Vincent signed a Maritime Law Enforcement Agreement. In 1996, the Government
  of St. Vincent and the Grenadines signed an Extradition Treaty with the     
  United States. In 1997, the two countries signed a Mutual Legal Assistance  
  Treaty.                                                                     
                                                                       
  The United States supports the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines'
  efforts to expand its economic base and to provide a higher standard of     
  living for its citizens. U.S. assistance is channeled primarily through     
  multilateral agencies such as the World Bank. The United States has 27 Peace
  Corps volunteers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, working in business     
  development, education, and health. The U.S. military also provides         
  assistance through construction and humanitarian civic action projects.     
                                                                       
  A relatively small number of Americans--fewer than 1,000--reside on the     
  islands.                                                                    
                                                                       
  Principal U.S. Embassy Officials                                            
  Ambassador--Mary M. Ourisman                                                
  Deputy Chief of Mission--Mary Ellen T. Gilroy                               
  Political/Economic Counselor--Martina Strong (Acting)                       
  Consul General--Clyde Howard Jr.                                            
  Regional Labor Attaché--Martina Strong                                      
  Economic-Commercial Affairs--Anthony Eterno                                 
  Public Affairs Officer--Julie O'Reagan                                      
  Peace Corps Director--Kate Raftery                                          
                                                                       
  The United States maintains no official presence in St. Vincent. The        
  Ambassador and Embassy officers are resident in Barbados and frequently     
  travel to St. Vincent.                                                      
                                                                       
  The U.S. Embassy in Barbados is located in the Wildey Business Park, Wildey,
  St. Michael (tel: 246-436-4950; fax: 246-429-5246).                         
                                                                       
  Other Contact Information                                                   
  U.S. Department of Commerce                                                 
  International Trade Administration                                          
  Trade Information Center                                                    
  14th and Constitution, NW                                                   
  Washington, DC 20230                                                        
  Tel: 1-800-USA-TRADE                                                        
                                                                       
  Caribbean/Latin American Action                                             
  1818 N Street, NW, Suite 310                                                
  Washington, DC 20036                                                        
  Tel: 202-466-7464                                                           
  Fax: 202-822-0075                                                           
                                                                       
  TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION                                             
  The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises Americans
  traveling and residing abroad through Consular Information Sheets, Public   
  Announcements, and Travel Warnings. Consular Information Sheets exist for all
  countries and include information on entry and exit requirements, currency  
  regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political       
  disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
  Public Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly about    
  terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas that  
  pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings
  are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel 
  to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or unstable.        
                                                                       
  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad  
  should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet
  web site at http://www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution,
  Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found. Consular Affairs    
  Publications, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a
  safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov. For    
  additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/     
  Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.                                  
                                                                       
  The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens who traveling or residing
  abroad to register via the State Department's travel registration website or
  at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your
  presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an 
  emergency and will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security 
  conditions.                                                                 
                                                                       
  Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained 
  by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular   
  toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.           
                                                                       
  The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of   
  State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport         
  information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer service   
  representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7:00 
  a.m. to 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.           
                                                                       
  Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for 
  Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP
  (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the
  most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements,
  and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A   
  booklet entitled "Health Information for International Travel" (HHS         
  publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government       
  Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.                 
                                                                       
  Further Electronic Information                                              
  Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://          
  www.state.gov, the Department of State web site provides timely, global     
  access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background    
  Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers of 
  Foreign Service posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
  provides security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies  
  working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov                      
                                                                       
  Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market    
  information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free
  export counseling, help with the export process, and more.                  
  STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides   
  authoritative economic, business, and international trade information from  
  the Federal government. The site includes current and historical            
  trade-related releases, international market research, trade opportunities, 
  and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data Bank.   

 

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