The first group—Barbados, the Bahamas, the Leeward…

The first group—Barbados, the Bahamas, the Leeward Islands, and Jamaica—had developed during the early attempts to found colonies.

Like the mainland North American colonies (and Bermuda), these territories have representative assemblies based on the bicameral system of the mother country.

Each colony has a governor who represents the monarch, an appointed upper house, and an elected lower house.

The electoral franchise, however, is extremely restricted, being vested in a few wealthy male property holders.

Power is divided between the governor, who executes the laws, and the assembly, which makes them.

However, the assembly retains the right to pass all money bills—including the pay for the governor—and so uses this right to obstruct legislation or simply to control new officials.