Charlesworth Samuel
Encyclopedia
Charlesworth Theophilus Samuel (died January 2008) was an Antigua
n politician.
, Antigua
, Samuel attended the All Saint’s Government School. After graduating he worked as a surveyor
trainee for the Public Works Department. He began teaching in 1957 at the Swetes Government School and, in 1964, was appointed headmaster at the John Hughes Primary School and also Jennings Secondary School
. He married on 20 December 1962.
In 1972, he received a Bachelor's degree
in physics
from the University of the West Indies
. He became president of the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers in 1974 and served in that capacity until 1976.
He later worked as an underwriter for the Life of Barbados Insurance Company. After graduating from the Holborn Law School in England
with a LLB
and training at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad
, he established a legal practice. He was also a president of the Antigua Chapter of Gideons International
.
for the Progressive Labour Movement
in the 1976 general election
, and was reelected in 1980
. After losing his seat in the 1984 election
, he became the opposition
leader in the Senate
. He was victorious in the 1994 general election
and represented the All Saints East and St. Luke constituency for the United Progressive Party
, becoming Minister of Agriculture following the 2004 election,
from then until his death.
He had announced prior to his death that he would not contest the next election.
At the time of his death, Samuel was one of only two sitting Members of Parliament (the other being Robin Yearwood
) who were present at the first session of the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda
in 1981. He was also a member of the independence delegation that visited London
in December 1980 to discuss Antigua and Barbuda's constitution.
, by a civilian search party. Authorities have not offered a cause of death and are investigating.
He was survived by his wife, five children, and ten grandchildren.
In response to Samuel's death, Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer
ordered national flags
to be displayed at half-staff
and announced an "official period of mourning" starting on 1 February.
A state funeral
will be held at the Antigua Recreation Ground
.
According to Gaston Browne, chairman of the Antigua Labour Party
, Samuel "was one of the Members of Parliament who enjoyed the full respect from both sides of the political aisle". Leon Chaku Symister, chairman of the governing United Progressive Party
, noted: "Mr Samuel has been a very active member of our party. He was a person who participated quite often and his experience and knowledge was quite an asset to the party."
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
n politician.
Early life
Born in SwetesSwetes
Swetes, also spelt Sweet's, is the sixth largest town in Antigua and Barbuda. It is located in the south of the island of Antigua, to the north of Liberta on the road to Old Road and the southwest coast of the island....
, Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, Samuel attended the All Saint’s Government School. After graduating he worked as a surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
trainee for the Public Works Department. He began teaching in 1957 at the Swetes Government School and, in 1964, was appointed headmaster at the John Hughes Primary School and also Jennings Secondary School
. He married on 20 December 1962.
In 1972, he received a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
from the University of the West Indies
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
. He became president of the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers in 1974 and served in that capacity until 1976.
He later worked as an underwriter for the Life of Barbados Insurance Company. After graduating from the Holborn Law School in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with a LLB
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
and training at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, he established a legal practice. He was also a president of the Antigua Chapter of Gideons International
Gideons International
Gideons International is an evangelical Christian organization dedicated to distributing copies of the Bible in over 94 languages and 194 countries of the world, most famously in hotel and motel rooms. The organization was founded in 1899 in Janesville, Wisconsin, as an early American parachurch...
.
Political career
Samuel was elected to the House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda
The House of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral parliament.The current House of Representatives, formed following elections held on 12 March 2009, has a total of 19 members. 17 members are directly elected to five year terms from single member...
for the Progressive Labour Movement
Progressive Labour Movement
The Progressive Labour Movement was a major political party in Antigua and Barbuda, and until the 2000s, was the only political party to have defeated the Antigua Labour Party in an election.-History:...
in the 1976 general election
Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1976
General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 18 February 1976. Whilst the Progressive Labour Movement received the most votes, the opposition Antigua Labour Party won more than double the number of seats. ALP leader Vere Bird was elected Premier of Antigua. Bird had previously served as...
, and was reelected in 1980
Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1980
General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 24 April 1980. They were won by the governing Antigua Labour Party. ALP leader Vere Bird was re-elected as Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. Voter turnout was 77.1%....
. After losing his seat in the 1984 election
Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1984
General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 17 April 1984, the first after the country had become as an independent Commonwealth realm in 1981....
, he became the opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
leader in the Senate
Senate of Antigua and Barbuda
The Senate is the Upper House of Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda. It consists of 17 members appointed by the Governor General. Ten Members are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, four on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, one on the advice of the Barbuda Council, one resident...
. He was victorious in the 1994 general election
Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1994
General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 8 March 1994. They were won by the governing Antigua Labour Party, under the leadership of Lester Bird. Bird had been appointed leader of the ALP before the election, after his father and predecessor Vere Bird announced his intention to retire....
and represented the All Saints East and St. Luke constituency for the United Progressive Party
United Progressive Party
There have been several political parties named the United Progressive Party.*For the main governing party in Antigua and Barbuda, see United Progressive Party ....
, becoming Minister of Agriculture following the 2004 election,
from then until his death.
He had announced prior to his death that he would not contest the next election.
At the time of his death, Samuel was one of only two sitting Members of Parliament (the other being Robin Yearwood
Robin Yearwood
Robin Yearwood is an Antiguan politician and member of the Antigua Labour Party . Entering Parliament in 1976, Yearwood served as Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries in the ALP administration until a cabinet reshuffle in 1987 saw him take over Vere Bird, Jr.'s portfolio for Aviation, Public...
) who were present at the first session of the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda
Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda
The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda consists of:*HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Antigua and Barbuda*The Senate *The House of Representatives -External links:**...
in 1981. He was also a member of the independence delegation that visited London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in December 1980 to discuss Antigua and Barbuda's constitution.
Death
Samuel was reported missing by his family on 30 January 2008, having left home the previous day and failed to return. His body was found on the morning of 31 January on Shell Beach, near St. John'sSt. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
St John's is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, a country located in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. St John's is located at...
, by a civilian search party. Authorities have not offered a cause of death and are investigating.
He was survived by his wife, five children, and ten grandchildren.
In response to Samuel's death, Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer
Baldwin Spencer
Winston Baldwin Spencer is the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. He has been Prime Minister since March 24, 2004, when his party, the United Progressive Party , which he had led as the opposition party for several years, won a parliamentary election...
ordered national flags
Flag of Antigua and Barbuda
The national flag of Antigua and Barbuda was adopted on February 27, 1967, and was designed by a nationally acclaimed artist and sculptor, Sir Reginald Samuel. The rising sun symbolises the dawning of a new era. The colours have different meanings, the black is for the African ancestry of the...
to be displayed at half-staff
Half-staff
Half-staff is the American term for to describe a flag flying a flag below the summit of the flagpole . The rest of the English-speaking world uses the term half-mast. Technically the flag should be flown one breadth lower to allow for the invisible flag of death...
and announced an "official period of mourning" starting on 1 February.
A state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
will be held at the Antigua Recreation Ground
Antigua Recreation Ground
Antigua Recreation Ground is the national stadium of Antigua and Barbuda. It is located in St. John's, on the island of Antigua. The ground has been used by the West Indies cricket team and Antigua and Barbuda national football team...
.
According to Gaston Browne, chairman of the Antigua Labour Party
Antigua Labour Party
The Antigua Labour Party is the former ruling political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It has long been led by Lester Bird, who was chairman of the party since 1971, and became Prime Minister and political leader in 1994. The party was founded by Lester's father, V.C. Bird...
, Samuel "was one of the Members of Parliament who enjoyed the full respect from both sides of the political aisle". Leon Chaku Symister, chairman of the governing United Progressive Party
United Progressive Party
There have been several political parties named the United Progressive Party.*For the main governing party in Antigua and Barbuda, see United Progressive Party ....
, noted: "Mr Samuel has been a very active member of our party. He was a person who participated quite often and his experience and knowledge was quite an asset to the party."