Political history of Antigua and Barbuda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The political history of Antigua and Barbuda covers the history of political movements and systems of government in Antigua and Barbuda. Since Antigua's colonisation in 1632, the archipelago has seen various governments and political conflicts, as well as democratic backsliding and attempts to redevelop the country. Now, Antigua and Barbuda is a fully independent unitary parliamentary monarchy.
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Antigua and Barbuda was first successfully colonised by the English in 1632, led by Sir Thomas Warner, the island's first governor.[1] The Government House was located in Falmouth, the main village, which was subject to Carib attacks.[2] During the Commonwealth of England, the colony was against Oliver Cromwell.[3] In 1666, Antigua was invaded by the French, who ruled Antigua from the governors of its other colonies until it was returned to the English in 1667, under the Treaty of Breda.[4]
On 13 April 1668, Antigua's legislative assembly met for the first time in Parham. The office of governor is the predecessor of the modern day governor-general, and the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda is the direct descendant of the legislative assembly.[5] Parham became the administrative centre of Antigua in 1663. In April 1668, the legislative assembly also authorised a plan to build a town on St. John's Harbour.[6] On 9 January 1685, Christopher and John Codrington were granted a fifty-year lease of Barbuda. Barbuda was not part of Antigua at the time, nor was it a formal colony. Rather, it was treated as private property of the Codringtons, who ruled it like a semi-independent state.[7]
In 1692, the parishes of Antigua were finalised, and were governed by vestries. The parishes were further subdivided into divisions. The central government occasionally authorised the vestries to levy taxes.[8] For most of the late 1600s, the Antiguan legislature would sit in various settlements, especially the designated towns of trade.[5] In 1702, St. John's elected its first town wardens.[9] In 1725, the parish of Saint George was established.[10] In 1747, lieutenant governors were no longer appointed in Antigua. In 1791, Antigua underwent a judicial reform. In the early 1800s, the modern-day Government House was completed.[11]
After the abolishment of the slave trade in 1808, a five-man police force was established in 1813.[12] In 1816, the colony of Antigua-Barbuda-Montserrat was established after the abolishment of the British Leeward Islands. Antigua had been subordinated to the British Leeward Islands and ruled by a lieutenant governor since 1671.[12]
In 1832, the Leeward Islands were re-instated, and the governor of Antigua became the ex officio governor of the Leeward Islands. The Leeward Islands colony was based in St. John's, and the title of governor of Antigua was later renamed to the governor of the Leeward Islands.[13] On 1 August 1860, Barbuda was merged into the colony of Antigua, ending Codrington rule. By 1871, Antigua was a presidency of the Leeward Islands colony, and the legislative assembly had become the legislative council. Any bill passed by the legislative council was to be assented by the Leeward governor.[14] In 1904, the position of warden was established for Barbuda, which was later replaced by the chairperson of the Barbuda Council.[14]
In 1936, the position of governor was replaced by the administrator. The administrator resided[15] in Government House and had similar functions. In 1946, Antigua held its first election, which resulted in V. C. Bird being appointed to the Executive Council, the predecessor to the Cabinet. In 1951, the first Antiguan constitution was adopted. The composition of the legislative council was changed, now to be composed of the attorney general, two nominated members, and ten elected members. This is when the Bird dynasty began to emerge, who controlled Antiguan politics until 2004.[16][17][18] In 1958, Antigua joined the West Indies Federation, and in June 1959, a constitutional conference was held for Antigua, granting it autonomy on 1 January 1960.[19]
