Anthony Carmona

His Excellency Anthony Carmona SC ORTT
5th President of Trinidad and Tobago
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 March 2013
Prime Minister	Kamla Persad-Bissessar Keith Rowley
Preceded by	George Maxwell Richards
Personal details
Born	Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona 7 March 1953 Fyzabad, Saint Patrick County, Siparia, Trinidad and Tobago
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	Reema Harrysingh
Alma mater	University of the West Indies Hugh Wooding Law School
Religion	Roman Catholicism[1]

Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona, SC, ORTT is the fifth President of Trinidad and Tobago, in office since 2013. Previously he was High Court Judge at the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago, and he served as a Judge of the International Criminal Court from 2012 to 2013.^[2]

Early life and education

Carmona was born on 7 March 1953 in Fyzabad, in south Trinidad, eldest of six children of Dennis Stephen Carmona and his wife Barbara. He graduated from Santa Flora Government Primary School and Presentation College, San Fernando.^[3] He attended the University of the West Indies and the Hugh Wooding Law School between 1973 and 1983.^[4]

Career

After graduating from Hugh Wooding Law School in 1983, Carmona worked as a State Counsel. In 1989, he became a Senior State Attorney. From 1994 to 1999, he was first Assistant then Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions. From 2001 to 2004, he was an Appeals Counsel at the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha.

High Court Judge

In 2004, he was appointed a High Court Judge at the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago.

International Criminal Court

On 12 December 2011, he was elected as a judge of the International Criminal Court. He won the office in the first ballot in the Assembly of States Parties with 72 of 104 votes; 70 votes were needed. Carmona took office on 11 March 2012.

President of Trinidad and Tobago

Nomination

On 3 February 2013, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced that the ruling party would nominate Carmona to succeed outgoing President George Maxwell Richards.^[5] The following day, Keith Rowley, leader of the oppoisition People's National Movement (PNM), indicated that his party supported Carmona's nomination.^[6] However, following this announcement, the People's National Movement (PNM) questioned Carmona's eligibility to serve as President, given his work outside the country between 2001 and 2004. (To be eligible to be elected President, a person must be "ordinarily resident" in the country for the ten years prior to election.) Attorney General Anand Ramlogan responded by saying that the government had consulted with legal experts who expressed the opinion that Carmona met this requirement.^[7]

References

1. "President Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona". Biographies. NALIS: National Library and Information System. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
2. "It's Official - President-elect Anthony T.A Carmona". Retrieved 13 September 2016.
3. Achibar, Vashtee (2013-02-05). "Carmona's parents pleased as punch". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
4. Curriculum Vitae. ICC. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
5. "IT'S JUSTICE ANTHONY CARMONA". Retrieved 13 September 2016.
6. Newsday Staff (2012-02-05). "We like Carmona". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
7. "Divided opinions over legal issues". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. 2012-02-07. Retrieved 7 February 2013.

External links

• "ICC - Judge Anthony T. CARMONA (Trinidad and Tobago)". International Criminal Court.
• "His Excellency Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona, S.C.". Trinidad & Tobago Office of the President.