BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – NEWS coming out of Trinidad and Tobago states that the former President and Prime Minister of the twin-island Federation, Arthur N.R. Robinson, has died.
According to the Trinidad Express, the 87-year-old passed away around 6:00 a.m. today (Apr. 9) at the St. Clair Medical Centre after ailing for some months.
The media house stated that Robinson’s passing was confirmed by that country’s National Security Minister Gary Griffith, who said that a State funeral is being planned.
Born in Tobago to Isabella and James A. Robinson, he had attended Castara Methodist School on the island, where his father was Head Master. From there he became the first Bowles Scholar to Bishop's High School, Tobago, in 1939, and later the first House Scholarship winner from Bishop's High School in 1942.
As candidate for Island Scholarship from Bishop's High School in 1944 and 1945, he obtained the Higher School Certificate in both years with Distinction in Latin. He continued his studies in Tobago and gained admission to the Bachelor of Laws Degree of London University as an external student in 1949.
In 1951, Robinson left his homeland for the United Kingdom, where he gained admission to the Inner Temple and two years later passed the Bar Final Examinations. In that same year (1953), he was admitted to St. John's College, Oxford, where he obtained a Second-Class Honours Degree in two years in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
He was admitted to practise as a Barrister-at-Law in Trinidad and Tobago in 1955 and was in the Chambers of Sir Courtney Hannays from 1957 to 1961.
Robinson has had two thirds to his name during his political life. He was Trinidad and Tobago’s third Prime Minister and had served in that capacity from December 18, 1986 to December 17, 1991. He was the first active politician of to be elected President and was the third Head of State of that Federation, serving his nation from March 19, 1997 to March 17, 2003.
He had gained international recognition for his proposal that eventually led to the founding of the International Criminal Court.
According to the Trinidad Express, Robinson’s first stint in politics came in 1958 when he was elected to the Federal Parliament of the defunct Caribbean Federation, and he went on to serve as a representative for Tobago in the Trinidad and Tobago Parliament in 1961 and later as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Arthur N.R. Robinson was honoured with the Trinity Cross, Trinidad and Tobago’s highest award, and he was also the recipient of the Order of the Caribbean Community and the Tobago Medal of Honour, Tobago's highest honour.
