Government Flashcards
What is the Government?
A group of people with the responsibility to manage the affairs of a country
Democracy is a system of government where…
The citizens have the right to participate in decision-making by voting in elections to choose their leaders
Autocracy is a system of government where…
One person has absolute power over a nation
List 3 features of a democracy
- Elections and Representatives
- Rule of Law
- Separation of Powers
- Civil Liberties and Rights
- Participation and Inclusiveness
- Transparency and Accountability
List 3 features of Autocracy
- Concentration of Power
- Limited Political
- Ruled by Decree
- Restricted Civil Liberties and Rights
- Lack of Accountability and Transparency
- Control and Coercion
The Executive (Cabinet) is made up of the…
Prime Minister, as the Chief Executive Officer, and Ministers of Government
The Cabinet is responsible for:
- Setting policies for the country
- Seeing that the policies set are carried out
- Initiating proposals for legislation and taxation
The Cabinet is assisted by the _________ _________ which is responsible for…
The Cabinet is assisted by the Civil Service which is responsible for implementing government policies
How does the Cabinet work?
Members of the Cabinet have to support policies that were discussed in public and Parliament. The entire Cabinet is responsible for decisions (collective responsibility).
The Executive is accountable to ________ and Ministers are required to…
The Executive is accountable to Parliament and Ministers are required to provide explanations about their Ministry’s policies when requested.
The Parliament, also known as the _________, is responsible for:
The Parliament, also known as the Legislation, is responsible for:
- making laws for good governance
- providing oversight of the Government
The Parliament consists of:
- The President
- The Senate (The Upper House)
- The House of Representatives (The Lower House)
A Legislature with one body is a ___________ Legislature and if it has two bodies it’s a ___________ Legislature
A Legislature with one body is a Unicameral Legislature and if it has two bodies it’s a Bicameral Legislature
The President’s roles are to:
- Assent Bills before they become laws
- Appoint persons to the office on recommendations of the P.M. and the Opposition Leader
The House of Representative includes elected members of:
- The Cabinet
- The governing party
- The Opposition
Functions of the House of Representatives are:
- Passing, amending and repealing legislation
- Approving the national budget
- Authorizing the use of public funds
- Debating issues of national importance
The Senators in the Senate are chosen by:
The President - 9
Prime Minister - 16
Opposition Leader - 6
The members of the H.O.R are _______ while the Senators are ________
The members of the H.O.R are elected while the Senators are appointed
Who elects the President?
An electoral college consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives
How many members are in the H.O.R?
41
What actions can a Cabinet member take if he/she is not in favor of a particular policy?
The member may:
Resign from the party
Resign from Parliament
Remain silent on the policy
Give two reasons why a Cabinet member may choose to support a controversial government policy.
- Accepts the principle of collective responsibility
- Knows that the Prime Minister may dismiss him or her for not supporting it.
Why are laws important?
Laws maintain peace and order in society
The Judiciary is the…
Legal branch of the government
The roles of the Judiciary are to:
- Enforce the laws of the country
- Resolve dispute via application of the law
- Determine the punishment of offenders
- Ensure other branches do not step out of their power
Who is the Chief Justice?
The head of the Judiciary
List the court from the highest to the lowest
Privy Council (located in England)
Supreme Court ( consists of the Court of Appeal and High Court)
The Magistrates Court
List the functions of the Magistrates Court
- Granting of bar licenses
- Granting of bail
- Trial of petty offenses
- Trials of minor reaches of traffic laws
The High Court is a…
Superior court of records and has all the powers of such a court
The High Court deals with the following cases:
- Criminal
- Civil
- Compensation
- Matrimonial
Which persons go to the Court of Appeal?
Persons who believe they received an unfair trial that want it to be reviewed by the court.
The Court of Appeal may __________, __________, ___________ or ___________ the previous sentence
The Court of Appeal may confirm, reverse, increase or reduce the previous sentence
How does the court work?
- All individuals are equal and entitled to a fair trial.
- The accused have the right to an attorney
- The accused are innocent until proven guilty
The roles of the Judge are:
- Presides over the trial
- Gives the jury guidance on legal matters related to the case
- Determines the sentence of the accused if found guilty
Who are the jury?
This is a group of 12 randomly selected persons who listen to the facts presented and determine if the accused is guilty or innocent.
The roles of the prison system are:
- Punish and deter them from repeating the offence.
- Safely house all prisoners
- Ensure that detainees are provided with food and other amenities
- Allowing visits by family, friends or lawyers
- Transporting prisoners to and from court.
The roles of the police are:
- Investigating reports of crime, arresting and charging suspects and taking them before the courts.
- Providing evidence to ensure convictions.
- Providing protection for witnesses who must give evidence.
- Maintain order and security during court sittings.
- Keeping criminal records.
What is the Privy Council?
The Privy Council (located in England) is the final court of appeal for all Commonwealth Caribbean nations except Guyana.
