Country in the West Indies, off the coast of
Venezuela. government Trinidad and Tobago is
an independent republic within the
Commonwealth. The 1976 constitution provides
for a president as head of state, and a
two-chamber parliament, consisting of a
senate of 31 members and a house of
representatives of 36. The president appoints
the prime minister and cabinet, who are
collectively responsible to parliament. The
president also appoints the senators, 16 on
the advice of the prime minister, six on the
advice of the leader of the opposition, and
nine after wider consultation. The 36 members
of the House of Representatives are elected
by universal adult suffrage. Parliament has a
life of five years. Tobago was given its own
House of Assembly 1980. It has 15 members, 12
popularly elected and three chosen by the
majority party. history For early history,
see American Indian. Trinidad and Tobago were
visited by Columbus 1498. Trinidad was
colonized by Spain from 1532 and ceded to
Britain 1802, having been captured 1797.
Tobago was settled by the Netherlands in the
1630s and subsequently occupied by various
countries before being ceded to Britain by
France 1814. Trinidad and Tobago were
amalgamated 1888 as a British colony.
Trinidad and Tobago's first political party,
the People's National Movement (PNM), was
formed 1956 by Dr Eric Williams and when the
colony achieved internal self-government 1959
he became the first chief minister. Between
1958 and 1961 it was a member of the
Federation of the West Indies but withdrew
and achieved full independence, within the
Commonwealth, 1967, Williams becoming the
first prime minister. A new constitution was
adopted 1976 which made Trinidad and Tobago a
republic. The former governor-general, Ellis
Clarke, became the first president and
Williams continued as prime minister. He died
Mar 1981 without having nominated a successor
and the president appointed George Chambers;
the PNM formally adopted him as leader May
1981. The opposition, a moderate left-wing
party grouping led by the deputy prime
minister, Arthur Robinson, was during the
next few years reorganized as the National
Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), until in
the 1986 general election it swept the PNM
from power and Arthur Robinson became prime
minister.