How is the government of The Bahamas based on the Westminster system?

The government of The Bahamas is a constitutional monarchy patterned on the British Westminster model, as established by its 1973 constitution. This system incorporates several key features of the parliamentary tradition:12

• Head of State: The British monarch serves as the formal head of state, represented locally by a governor-general.1
• Parliamentary Structure: The legislature is bicameral, consisting of an elected House of Assembly and an appointed Senate.12
• Executive Leadership: The prime minister, who serves as the head of government, is formally appointed by the governor-general. To hold this position, the prime minister must be a member of the House of Assembly and maintain the support of a majority of its members.1
• Ministerial Responsibility: Reflecting the core principles of the Westminster system, the government is accountable to the parliament. Ministers are collectively and individually responsible to the legislature for the conduct of their ministries and the government as a whole. The government remains in office only as long as it retains the confidence of the parliament.3