Anthony Smart
{{Short description|Trinidadian politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Anthony Smart
|honorific-suffix =
|image =
|alt =
|caption =
|office = Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago
|primeminister = A. N. R. Robinson
|term_start = 1989
|term_end = 1991
|predecessor = Selwyn Richardson
|successor = Keith Sobion
|constituency_MP5 = Diego Martin North/East
|term_start5 = 1986
|term_end5 = 1991
|majority5 = 9,110 votes (62.93%)
|predecessor5 = Norma Lewis-Phillip
|successor5 = Colm Imbert
|office6 =
|term_start6 =
|term_end6 =
|predecessor6 =
|successor6 =
|birth_name = Anthony Isidore Smart
|birth_date =
|birth_place = Trinidad and Tobago
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Organisation for National Reconstruction (ONR)
National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR)
|alma_mater = Fatima College
University of Toronto
|signature =
}}
Anthony Isidore Smart is a Trinidadian politician and lawyer. He served as a Member of Parliament from December 1986 to November 1991 and Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago from March 1989 to November 1991. He was also Political Leader of the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) from April 2000 to November 2001. He has been chairman of the First Citizens Bank since June 17, 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.firstcitizenstt.com/fcis/board-of-directors.html|title=FCB Board of Directors|publisher=First Citizen's Bank|accessdate=October 13, 2015}}
Personal life
He is son of Isidore Smart, a former Chief State Solicitor of Trinidad and Tobago from 1965 to 1976.{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-12-06/isidore-smart-dies-96|title=Isidore Smarts Dies at 96|publisher=Trinidad Guardian|accessdate=October 13, 2015}} He attended the secondary school of Fatima College in Port of Spain from January 1958 to June 1964. Smart graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in Economics.{{cite web|url=https://www.firstcitizenstt.com/dms/Resumes-of-Appointees/ANTHONY_ISIDORE_SMART.pdf|title=Resume of Anthony Isidore Smart|publisher=First Citizen's Bank|accessdate=October 13, 2015}} He is brother of Wayne Smart, a cricketer who played for the Trinidad and Tobago national cricket team.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportarchivestt.com/athletes/francis-wayne-isidore-smart/|title=Francis Wayne Isidore Smart|publisher=National Sporting Archives of Trinidad and Tobago|accessdate=October 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070231/http://www.sportarchivestt.com/athletes/francis-wayne-isidore-smart/|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=usurped}}
Political life
Smart was a founding member of the Organisation for National Reconstruction (ONR) in November 1980 and the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) in July 1985.
Smart contested the Diego Martin North/East in the 1986 General Elections held on December 15, 1986, with the NAR political party, led by A. N. R. Robinson. He defeated incumbent Norma Lewis-Phillip{{cite web|url=http://www.ebctt.com/wp-content/uploads/Report-of-the-EBC-on-the-Parliamentary-Elections-1981-9th-November-1981.pdf|title=Report on the 1981 General Elections|publisher=Elections and Boundaries Commission|accessdate=October 13, 2015}} of the People's National Movement (PNM) with 9,110 votes (62.93%) to be elected to the House of Representatives in the 3rd Republican Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.{{cite web|url=http://www.ebctt.com/wp-content/uploads/Report-of-the-EBC-on-the-Parliamentary-Elections-1986-15th-December-1986.pdf|title=Report on the 1986 General elections|publisher=Elections and Boundaries Commission|accessdate=October 13, 2015}} The NAR won 33 of the 36 seats to form the Government. Smart served at Deputy Speaker from January 12, 1987, to June 12, 1987, and Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Office of the Prime Minister from June 13, 1987, to February 28, 1989. He was appointed Attorney General on March 1, 1989.{{cite web|url=http://www.ttparliament.org/members.php?mid=26&pid=12&id=ASM03|title=Members of Past Parliaments|accessdate=October 13, 2015|publisher=Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago}}
Smart was Attorney General during the 1990 attempted coup{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/01/world/rebels-in-trinidad-set-premier-free-40-are-still-held.html|publisher=The New York Times|title=Rebels in Trinidad Set Premier Free|accessdate=October 13, 2015}} when the Jamaat al Muslimeen attempted to overthrow the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. Smart, who was at the Red House attending a cocktail party, disguised himself to escape being held hostage during the event.{{cite web|url=http://newsday.co.tt/crime_and_court/0,158090.html|title=AG disguised self as maid|publisher=Trinidad Newsday|accessdate=October 13, 2015}} He was the only elected member of the government to escape capture on the first day during the initial hostage taking in the Parliament Chamber on July 27, 1990 - other members were released five to six days later.{{cite web|url=http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Smart__Three_women_saved_my_life-124527723.html|title=Smart: Three Women Saved My Life|publisher=Trinidad and Tobago Express|accessdate=October 13, 2015}}
In the 1991 general elections held on December 16, 1991, Smart lost his seat to Colm Imbert of the PNM who won the election with 7,111 votes (54.98%) compared to Smart's 5,280 votes (40.82%).{{cite web|url=http://www.ebctt.com/wp-content/uploads/Report-of-the-EBC-on-the-Parliamentary-Elections-1991-16th-December-1991.pdf|title=Report on the 1991 General Elections Results|publisher=Elections and Boundaries Commission|accessdate=October 13, 2015}}
References
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Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Trinidad and Tobago)
Category:Government ministers of Trinidad and Tobago
Category:20th-century Trinidad and Tobago lawyers
Category:National Alliance for Reconstruction politicians
Category:Organisation for National Reconstruction politicians
Category:University of Toronto alumni