Politics of Saint Helena
Encyclopedia
Politics of Saint Helena takes place in a framework of limited self-government as a dependent territory
of the United Kingdom
, whereby the Governor is the head of government
. Saint Helena
, an island in the southern Atlantic Ocean
, is a part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
.
It has had its present constitution since 1 September 2009. Executive power
is exercised by the Governor and the Executive Council. Legislative power is vested in both the Governor and the Legislative Council. The judiciary
is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom.
Saint Helena had until 2009 two dependencies: Ascension Island
and Tristan da Cunha
. These territories have their own political structures with Administrators under the Governor of Saint Helena
. They are now equal parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
along with St Helena itself.
|Elizabeth II
|
|6 February 1952
|-
|Governor
and Commander-in-Chief
|Andrew Gurr
|
|October 2007
|}
The Executive Council consists of the Governor, three ex officio officers (one, the Attorney General, having no vote), and five elected members of the Legislative Council. The monarch is the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom
and is hereditary; the Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The Chief Secretary is the main advisor to the Governor on the island and runs the administrative side of the government, which is based at The Castle
in the capital, Jamestown
.
has 15 members, 12 members elected for a four year term by popular vote and 3 members ex officio. This arrangement gives the governing of Saint Helena an aspect of representative democracy
.
. The Saint Helena Labour Party
and Saint Helena Progressive Party
existed until 1976.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
, in London, is the final court of appeal for the territory however, as is the case with all other British overseas territories.
Dependent territory
A dependent territory, dependent area or dependency is a territory that does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a State, and remains politically outside of the controlling state's integral area....
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, whereby the Governor is the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
. Saint Helena
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
, an island in the southern Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, is a part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union consisting of the islands of Saint Helena, Ascension Island and the Tristan da Cunha group...
.
It has had its present constitution since 1 September 2009. Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
is exercised by the Governor and the Executive Council. Legislative power is vested in both the Governor and the Legislative Council. The judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom.
Saint Helena had until 2009 two dependencies: Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
and Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is a remote volcanic group of islands in the south Atlantic Ocean and the main island of that group. It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying from the nearest land, South Africa, and from South America...
. These territories have their own political structures with Administrators under the Governor of Saint Helena
Governor of Saint Helena
The Governor of Saint Helena is the representative of the British monarch in the United Kingdom's overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
. They are now equal parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union consisting of the islands of Saint Helena, Ascension Island and the Tristan da Cunha group...
along with St Helena itself.
Executive Branch
!align=left|monarchBritish monarchy
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
|Elizabeth II
|
|6 February 1952
|-
|Governor
Governor of Saint Helena
The Governor of Saint Helena is the representative of the British monarch in the United Kingdom's overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
and Commander-in-Chief
|Andrew Gurr
Andrew Gurr (governor)
Andrew Murray Gurr is the current Governor of Saint Helena. He took up office on 11 November 2007 in a ceremony in Jamestown at which he declared his commitment to Saint Helena and dependencies in his inaugural speech...
|
|October 2007
|}
The Executive Council consists of the Governor, three ex officio officers (one, the Attorney General, having no vote), and five elected members of the Legislative Council. The monarch is the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and is hereditary; the Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The Chief Secretary is the main advisor to the Governor on the island and runs the administrative side of the government, which is based at The Castle
The Castle (Saint Helena)
The Castle is the main government buildings on the island of Saint Helena, located in the historic centre of the capital Jamestown, close to James Bay and the old town gate. The oldest parts of the complex date to 1710 but it was largely reconstructed in the 1860s because of termite damage...
in the capital, Jamestown
Jamestown, Saint Helena
Jamestown is the capital and historic chief settlement of the island of Saint Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean. Located on the island's north-western coast, it is the island's port, with facilities for unloading goods delivered to the island, and the centre of the island's road and...
.
Legislative Branch
The Legislative CouncilLegislative Council of Saint Helena
The Legislative Council of Saint Helena has 15 members, 12 members elected for a four-year term by popular vote and 3 members ex officio...
has 15 members, 12 members elected for a four year term by popular vote and 3 members ex officio. This arrangement gives the governing of Saint Helena an aspect of representative democracy
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
.
Political parties and elections
According to the Saint Helena Herald, at the last elections, June 2005, only non-partisans have been elected. In June 2001 the turnout was 44 %. Saint Helena does not have active political parties, but no law forbids the formation of political parties, so the country is a de-facto non-partisan democracyNon-partisan democracy
Nonpartisan democracy is a system of representative government or organization such that universal and periodic elections take place without reference to political parties.-Overview:...
. The Saint Helena Labour Party
Saint Helena Labour Party
The Saint Helena Labour Party was a political party on the island of Saint Helena . The party was founded in 1974. The party opposed dependence on British economic aid, whilst advocating private enterprise as opposed to a supposedly government-dominated economy...
and Saint Helena Progressive Party
Saint Helena Progressive Party
The Saint Helena Progressive Party was a political party on the island of Saint Helena . The party favoured retaining economic links with the United Kingdom....
existed until 1976.
Judicial branch
The territory has four courts of its own:- Court of Appeal
- Supreme CourtSaint Helena Supreme CourtArticle 43 of the Constitution of Saint Helena provides that "the Supreme Court shall possess and may exercise all the jurisdiction which is vested in, or is capable of being exercised by, Her Majesty's High Court of Justice in England."...
- Magistrates Court
- Juvenile Court
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. Established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 to hear appeals formerly heard by the King in Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is one of the highest courts in the United...
, in London, is the final court of appeal for the territory however, as is the case with all other British overseas territories.
International organization participation
- ITUCInternational Trade Union ConfederationThe International Trade Union Confederation is the world's largest trade union federation. It was formed on November 1, 2006 out of the merger of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the World Confederation of Labour...