Built in 1817 when the City of Hamilton became the Capital of Bermuda, Sessions House (located on Parliament Hill) contains the House of Assembly and the Supreme Court. The Clock Tower was added in 1887 to commemorate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s reign.

Bermuda has a Governor who is appointed by H.R.H., the Queen of England. The Bermuda Parliament is organised along very traditional lines and is very similar to the British Parliament, upon which the local structure is based. The Lower House (the House of Assembly) consists of forty Members of Parliament, each elected through a general election. These MPs represent twenty island wide constituencies and each is expected to remain until voted out of office.

The Upper House is known as the Senate. The eleven Senators are all appointed. The Governor appoints five of the Senators, acting on advise of the Premier. Three of the Senators are appointed by the Governor, acting on advise of the Leader of the Opposition; and the remaining three are appointed by the Governor, at his own discretion.