A. N. R. Robinson

Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson (16 December 1926 – 9 April 2014; known as A. N. R. or "Ray" Robinson), was a Trinidad and Tobago politician who served as the third President of Trinidad and Tobago from 1997 to 2003 and the third Prime Minister from 1986 to 1991. He is known for his resilience within the government, resigning from Eric Williams’ administration in 1970 promoted by the State of Emergency imposed on Black Power protests, and is recognized for his proposal that led to the establishment of the International Criminal Court. He is also remembered for being held hostage during the 1990 Jamaat al Muslimeen coup attempt, during which he ordered the army to “attack with full force” while being held at gunpoint.

Robinson was the first active politician to be elected to the presidency, and was the first presidential candidate who was not elected unopposed. President Robinson sparked controversy in his term in office when he refused to appoint certain senators recommended by Prime Minister Basdeo Panday following the elections in 2000 and in 2001 when he appointed the Leader of the Opposition Patrick Manning to the position of prime minister after a tied election.

Early life

Robinson was born in Tobago in 1926 to Tobagonians James and Isabella Robinson. He was educated at Castara Methodist School (where his father served as head master) and Bishop's High School, where he obtained a Higher School Certificate with distinction in Latin and competed for an Island Scholarship. He obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from London University as an external student. In 1951 he left for the United Kingdom, where he was called to the bar at Inner Temple and obtained a degree in philosophy, politics and economics from St. John's College, Oxford. Robinson returned to Trinidad and Tobago, where he practised as a Barrister-at-Law. Following the Black Power Revolution in 1970, Robinson resigned from the People's National Movement and formed the Action Committee of Dedicated Citizens, which joined forced with the Democratic Labour Party to contest the 1971 General Elections; Robinson and the DLP ended up boycotting the elections in protest over the use of voting machines.

After the 1971 election, the Action Committee of Dedicated Citizens became the Democratic Action Congress which won both Tobago seats in the 1976 General Elections. As leader as the DAC, Robinson worked for internal self-government for Tobago, culminating in the passage of the Tobago House of Assembly Act in 1980. Robinson resigned from Parliament to contest the Tobago House of Assembly elections, and became the Chairman of the Assembly following victory by the DLP.

Illness and death Robinson suffered from a number of ailments including a stroke and prostate complications and was hospitalised at St. Clair Medical Hospital after he complained of feeling ill. Following an illness of several months, he died at St. Clair Medical Centre at about 6:00 am on 9 April 2014. In reaction, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said that he was "one of our nation's outstanding sons...but the legacy he leaves behind shall surely live on to inspire today's and tomorrow's generations."

Honours

In 1997 Robinson was awarded the Trinity Cross, at that time the highest order of Trinidad and Tobago.

During the investiture of President Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin as a titled Yoruba chieftain on 20 December 2008, the reigning Ooni of Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Olubuse II, referred to President Robinson and his wife as previous recipients of the same royal honour.

In May 2011, the airport in Tobago was renamed the A. N. R. Robinson International Airport, replacing the name "Crown Point International Airport".

In November 2011, A. N. R. Robinson was the recipient of Tobago's highest award, the Tobago Medal of Honour.