Anthony Smart


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 from April 2000 to November 2001. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the First Citizens Bank since June 17, 2014.

Personal life

He is son of Isidore Smart, a former Chief State Solicitor of Trinidad and Tobago from 1965 to 1976. 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. He is brother of Wayne Smart, a cricketer who played for the Trinidad and Tobago national cricket team.

Political life

Smart was a founding member of the Organisation for National Reconstruction in November 1980 and the National Alliance for Reconstruction 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 of the People's National Movement with 9,110 votes to be elected to the House of Representatives in the 3rd Republican Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. 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.
Smart was Attorney General during the 1990 attempted coup 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. 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.
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 compared to Smart's 5,280 votes.