Country |
Government System |
Government Structure |
Comments |
Cuba |
Communist State |
The Cuban government is composed of three branches, the executive, legislative, and judicial. The president, elected every five years by the national assembly, heads the government as well as the military. Its constitution gives the government control over the market, provides free education and health care, and has been revised to state that the socialist system is permanent. |
The structure is fairly similar to that of the United States, but the country is based and run off of very different principles. |
Haiti |
Republic |
Haiti also has three branches and the executive branch is composed of both a president and a prime minister. The legislative branch is comprised a senate and chamber of deputies and are responsible for the election of the president. All elections are based off of an absolute majority vote and those for the senate and president are through a two round process. |
Haiti has limited economic freedom, but has more than Cuba. |
Dominican Republic |
Democratic Republic |
After having adopted 38 different constitutions, the most recent from 2010 separates the government into three branches. The president is elected through an absolute majority vote, the two different courts of the judicial branch serve either 7 or 9 year terms, and the legislative branch is composed of a senate and chamber of deputies. |
The Dominican Republic has moderate economic freedom with a rating of 62.9 and there is tension between the country and Haiti. |
Jamaica |
Constitutional Parliamentary Democracy and a Commonwealth Realm |
Based off of its constitution, Jamaica is politically independent from the UK, but has a system based off of the UK. The government has a governor-general that is appointed by the British monarch and they in turn appoints the prime minister and senate and cabinet members. |
The government is similar to that of other British territories except for the fact the the country is independent from the UK. |
Bahamas |
Constitutional Monarchy |
The Constitution of the Bahamas is based on the Westminster Model; Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, The Executive Branch, The Legislative Branch, and Judicial Branch. Queen Elizabeth II is considered head of state. The executive branch is constituted by the Cabinet. It is essential for the Cabinet to compromise at least nine ministers. Parliament constitutes the legislative branch, that consist of House of Assembly and the Senate. The judicature has Judicial authority, which includes the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal |
This government uses checks and balances to sort of even out the powers of the 3 branches and those of Queen Elizabeth II. |
Anguilla, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos |
Varies |
These islands are dependent territories of the UK and the government type varies. For example, Anguilla has a parliamentary representative democracy while Turks and Caicos has a governor appointed by the monarch that appoints the premier which is in turn determined by elections for House of Assembly. |
Reflective of the history/ colonization and changing borders of the Caribbean. |
US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico |
US territories/representative Democracy |
Both Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are territories of the United States and follow a similar structure to the United States’ government, but are ineligible to vote for the president and lack full protection from the Constitution. |
There have long been disagreements over the fact that Puerto Ricans have fewer rights in terms of how they are governed and there is a debate over whether or not Puerto Rico should become a US state. |
Trinidad and Tobago |
Parliamentary Democracy |
The government is headed by a president and a prime minister. The former acts as the head of state and commander in chief, while the latter runs the government. The Senate and House of Representatives is responsible for amending and drafting legislation. |
The government is very similar to that of the United States, except the executive branch also includes a prime minister. |