ASPIRING MINDS FOUNDATION
Selwyn A. Richardson
The Honourable Selwyn A. Richardson
Born on the 30th November 1935 Port of Spain
Died 20th June 1995 Cascade Trinidad
He attended Mayaro Primary School, where he also taught as a student-teacher.
After which he attended Tranquility Boys Intermediate School and then St Mary's College.
He persued a career as a Police Officer.
He then attended Gray's Inn in London where he studied law, he also joined the Royal Air Force in England.
He returned to Trinidad and Tobago where he practiced Law.
He joined the PNM in 1971 and was involved in organizing the party.
In 1972 he was selected to lead the PNM team on Constitutional Reform for Trinidad and Tobago before the Wooding Commission.
In 1973, he was appointed a director of the Trinidad and Tobago Telephone Company, this is where he earned the reputation as "Mr. Fix It". He had an intolerance of corrupt practices and impatience with bureaucracy.
After the General Elections in 1976, he was appointed Senator and Attorney General and Leader of the Senate from 1976 to 1981. He continued to hold this position under Prime Minister George Chambers after the death of Dr. Eric Williams.
He did not contest the 1981 elections and had resigned from the PNM.
He resigned from active politics in 1983 and was appointed Chairman of the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago from 1983 to 1986.
He earned the "Trinidad and Tobago Individual of the Year Award", for his achievements and zeal in the pursuit of equity and justice.
In 1986 when he re-entered active politics.
He won the Ortoire/Mayaro seat as a candidate for NAR which won the 1986 elections. He was appointed Attorney General from 1986 to 1989.
He served as Minister of National Security from March 1989 to January 1991.
He was one of the hostages held in the Parliament during the attempted coup, where he was beaten and shot. He tendered his resignation after that incident, it was not accepted by Prime Minister Robinson.
In 1991 he returned to private life and his law practice.
At the age of 59, he was murdered outside his Cascade home in 1995.