The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis became an independent nation September 19, 1983, when the Associated State of Saint Kitts and Nevis gained independence from Britain. This 105 square mile nation (St. Kitts is 69 sq. mi. and Nevis is 36 sq. mi.) – the smallest in the western hemisphere – has since asserted itself on the world stage, notwithstanding its population of nearly 50,000 people.
Structure & Process
The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is a constitutional monarchy. Our head of state is the King of Britain. Every act of government is done in the King’s name, executed under the authority of the Governor General. We have a Cabinet of Ministers responsible to Federal Parliament led by the Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the Federal Parliament is answerable to the People.
Government impacts on all aspects of our lives and understanding how it works is important to every citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The following sections provide a brief overview of the structure and process of our government, the institutions and symbols that represent it, and the people to whom we have entrusted it.
The King
His Majesty King Charles III is the formal head of state of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. He is also the symbolic head of the Commonwealth comprised of Saint Kitts and Nevis and fifty-three other former British colonies. Parliament meets only by royal summons and no bills become law without Royal Assent.
The Governor-General
The Governor-General is the personal representative of the King in Saint Kitts and Nevis. He/She is appointed by His Majesty on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and performs the functions of the Monarch in his absence including Royal Assent for all bills and authorization of all government appointments.
The Federal Government
The Prime Minister is the Head of Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis. There is a House of Assembly headed by a Speaker of the House. Elections are held every five years.
Saint Kitts and Nevis has a single National Assembly, comprising fifteen (15) members, responsible for making laws. Eleven (11) of these are directly elected representatives whilst three (3) are senators appointed by the Governor General – two on the advice of the Prime Minister and the third on the advice of the leader of the opposition. The Attorney General, who was not appointed as a senator, automatically gets a seat as one, increasing the number of senators to four. Of the eleven (11) elected members, eight represent constituencies in St. Kitts and the remaining three represent Nevis seats.
The Prime Minister is appointed from the representatives by the Governor General, who has a constitutional duty to select someone who is likely to command the support of the majority of the representatives. In practice this would normally mean the leader of the majority party or coalition. If there is no suitable candidate, then the Governor General can dissolve the assembly and trigger a general election. Other ministers are also appointed by the Governor General, on the advice of the Prime Minister (and so effectively by the Prime Minister). The Prime Minister can be removed from office by the National Assembly or by the Governor General if he/she feels that the Prime Minister no longer has the support of the majority of representatives. The National Assembly is elected every five years unless the Governor General dissolves it before the end of this period, which he/she may do on the advice of the Prime Minister.