Parliament of Grenada
| Parliament of the State of Grenada | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses |
Senate House of Representatives |
| Leadership | |
|
Cécile La Grenade
Since 7 May 2013 |
|
|
Chester Humphrey
|
|
|
Micheal Pierre
|
|
| Structure | |
| Seats | 13 senators 15 Members of Parliament (MPs) |
 |
|
|
House of Representatives political groups
|
|
| Elections | |
|
House of Representatives last election
|
19 February 2013 |
| Website | |
| http://www.gov.gd/ | |
The Parliament of Grenada is composed of the monarch and two chambers: Senate and the House of Representatives.
Parliamentary democracy as we understand it today is based upon the consent of the governed. Sovereignty resides in the people and it is they who decide who shall occupy the seats of power.
Parliament consists of the Queen, represented by the Governor General, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Governor-General summons Parliament, brings its session to an end by prorogation, and formally assents to every bill before it can become law. In practice, he exercises all these powers on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
The passage of legislation depends on the participation of all three component parts of Parliament. A bill must be agreed to by both Houses and receive the Royal Assent before it can become an Act of Parliament. The powers of the Senate and the House of Representatives are constitutionally equal except that financial legislation may not be introduced in the Senate.
All Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
The House of Representatives is directly elected by the people, and although by tradition the Senate is the Upper House and the House of Representatives is the Lower House, it is the House of Representatives which plays the predominant part in the parliamentary system.
The Parliament of Grenada came into being in 1974 when Grenada became an independent country.
All bills must be passed by the Senate before they can become law, and it has the constitutional right to reject any bill, and keep on rejecting it as long as it sees fit. It can also amend any bill, although it cannot initiate or increase the amount of any bill dealing with taxation or expenditure.
The Governor General personifies the State. In law, he is the head of the Executive and an integral part of the legislature. In practice, he exercises all these powers on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
The House of Representatives has 16 members: 15 elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies, and a speaker. The elections are by the first-past-the-post system. The New National Party currently holds every seat in the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives is the focal point of parliamentary activity and public attention, the grand forum of the nation, where major national and international issues are debated; where the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition may be seen in regular confrontation; where Cabinet Ministers defend the policies and conduct of their departments; where the nation’s business in freely and openly transacted, all that is said and done being faithfully recorded.
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Wikipedia