Charlesworth Samuel
{{Short description|Antiguan politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = Hon.
| name = Charlesworth Theophilus Samuel
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| office = Minister of Agriculture of Antigua and Barbuda
| term_start = 2004
| term_end = 2008
| predecessor =
| successor =
| office2 = Member of the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda for All Saints East and St. Luke
| term2 = 1976–84, 1994–2008
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Swetes, Antigua and Barbuda
| death_date = January 2008
| death_place =
| party = United Progressive Party
| otherparty = Progressive Labour Movement
| spouse =
| residence =
| alma_mater = University of the West Indies
| profession = Teacher, Lawyer
| footnotes =
}}
Charlesworth Theophilus Samuel (died January 2008) was an Antiguan politician.
Early life
Born in Swetes, Antigua, Samuel attended the All Saint’s Government School. After graduating he worked as a surveyor trainee for the Public Works Department. He began teaching in 1957 at the Swetes Government School and, in 1964, was appointed headmaster at the John Hughes Primary School and also Jennings Secondary School
. He married on 20 December 1962.
{{cite news
| title = Samuel leaves legacy of political achievement
| url = http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&sun=312457058002012008&an=181505059002012008&ac=Local
| work = Antigua Sun
| date = 2008-02-01
| accessdate = 2008-02-02 }}
In 1972, he received a Bachelor's degree in physics from the University of the West Indies. He became president of the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers in 1974 and served in that capacity until 1976.
He later worked as an underwriter for the Life of Barbados Insurance Company. After graduating from the Holborn Law School in England with a LLB and training at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad, Samuel established a legal practice. He was also a president of the Antigua Chapter of Gideons International.
Political career
Samuel was elected to the House of Representatives for the Progressive Labour Movement in the 1976 general election, and was reelected in 1980. After losing his seat in the 1984 election, he became the opposition leader in the Senate. He was victorious in the 1994 general election and represented the All Saints East and St. Luke constituency for the United Progressive Party, becoming Minister of Agriculture following the 2004 election,
{{cite news
|title=Antigua Agriculture Official Missing
|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gGS19m8Nl0F2f4jCfhe--pHtL1DwD8UGSRQG0
|publisher=Associated Press
|date=2008
|accessdate=2008-02-02
}}{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
{{cite news
| title = Charlesworth Samuel: A gentleman and a politician
| url = http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&sun=281935077507132005&an=290317059202012008&ac=Columnist
| work = Antigua Sun
| date = 2008-02-01
| accessdate = 2008-02-02 }}
He had announced prior to his death that he would not contest the next election.
{{cite news
| author = Weston, Tahna
| title = Walter declares interest in All Saints East seat
| url = http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&sun=254304089209252006&an=280306086109252006&ac=Local
| work = Antigua Sun
| date = 2006-09-25
{{cite news
| title = Chester says he's ready for All Saints
| url = http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&sun=370607036809072006&an=281435099609072006&ac=Local
| work = Antigua Sun
| date = 2006-09-07
| accessdate = 2008-02-05 }}
At the time of his death, Samuel was one of only two sitting Members of Parliament (the other being Robin Yearwood) who were present at the first session of the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda in 1981. He was also a member of the independence delegation that visited London in December 1980 to discuss Antigua and Barbuda's constitution.
Death
Samuel was reported missing by his family on 30 January 2008, having left home the previous day and failed to return. His body was found on the morning of 31 January on Shell Beach, near St. John's, by a civilian search party. Authorities have not offered a cause of death and are investigating.
{{cite news
| title = Antigua police investigate death of agriculture minister after body found on beach
| url = http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20080131-1551-antigua-missingminister.html
| work = The San Diego Union-Tribune
| date = 2008-01-31
{{cite news
| title = Antiguan minister found dead
| url = http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/14026/45/
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172227/http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/14026/45/
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 2016-03-03
| publisher = Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation
| date = 2008-02-01
{{cite news
| title = Antigua police launch investigation into minister's death
| publisher = Caribbean Media Corporation
| date = 2008-02-01 }}
He was survived by his wife, five children, and ten grandchildren.
In response to Samuel's death, Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer ordered national flags to be displayed at half-staff and announced an "official period of mourning" starting on 1 February.
{{cite news
|title=PM Spencer addresses the nation
|url=http://sun-weekend.com/paper/?asw=view&asw=view&sun=191345058402012008&an=463430047902012008&ac=Local
|work=Antigua Sun
|date=2008-01-31
|accessdate=2008-02-02
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080204012703/http://sun-weekend.com/paper/?asw=view
|archivedate=2008-02-04
}}
A state funeral will be held at the Antigua Recreation Ground.
{{cite news
| title = Antigua flags at half mast as death of agriculture minister mourned
| publisher = Caribbean Media Corporation
| date = 2008-02-01 }}
According to Gaston Browne, chairman of the Antigua Labour Party, Samuel "was one of the Members of Parliament who enjoyed the full respect from both sides of the political aisle". Leon Chaku Symister, chairman of the governing United Progressive Party, noted: "Mr Samuel has been a very active member of our party. He was a person who participated quite often and his experience and knowledge was quite an asset to the party."
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Samuel, Charlesworth}}
Category:Year of birth uncertain
Category:Antigua and Barbuda evangelicals
Category:Antigua and Barbuda educators
Category:Antigua and Barbuda lawyers
Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Antigua and Barbuda)
Category:Members of the Senate (Antigua and Barbuda)
Category:University of the West Indies alumni
Category:Progressive Labour Movement politicians
Category:United Progressive Party politicians