Anthony Carmona

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Anthony Carmona – Life, Career, and Leadership

Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona (born March 7, 1953) is a Trinidadian jurist and politician who served as the 5th President of Trinidad & Tobago (2013–2018). Explore his early life, legal and judicial careers, presidency, philosophies, and legacy.

Introduction

Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona is a prominent Trinidadian jurist and politician, best known for serving as the President of Trinidad & Tobago from March 2013 to March 2018. His trajectory encompasses roles as a prosecutor, judge at national and international tribunals, legal advisor, and statesman. His professional path bridges law, international justice, and civic leadership, making him one of Trinidad & Tobago’s distinguished modern public figures.

Early Life and Family

Anthony Carmona was born on March 7, 1953, in Fyzabad, in the southern region of Trinidad. Dennis Stephen Carmona and Barbara Carmona.

He attended Santa Flora Government Primary School (while the family lived in Dalley’s Village, Santa Flora) and subsequently Presentation College, San Fernando for his secondary education.

Carmona has spoken of being of Cocoa Panyol descent (a cultural identity in Trinidad) through his family lineage. Reema Harrysingh, an economist, and they have two children.

Education & Formative Years

His higher education unfolded in several phases:

• At the University of the West Indies (UWI), Carmona studied English and Political Science (on the Mona campus, Jamaica) as part of his undergraduate training.

• He then pursued legal studies at Cave Hill, Barbados (another UWI campus) and later at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago, graduating in 1983 and being admitted to the bar.

• During and after his legal training, he also lectured in language, linguistics, and government at UWI and served as a tutor in the Department of Government.

• Earlier in his career, Carmona also taught at secondary schools— in Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica— including at Palo Seco Government Secondary, Fyzabad Anglican Secondary, and in Jamaica’s St. Hugh’s High School and Merle Grove High.

These experiences in teaching and legal education helped shape his comfort with public service, discourse, and institutional engagement.

Legal, Judicial & International Career

Early Legal & Prosecution Work

After qualifying as a lawyer, Carmona began his legal career as a State Counsel. Senior State Attorney in 1989.

Between 1994 and 1999, he served as Assistant and then Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and for a period acted as Director of Public Prosecutions.

Carmona also contributed beyond the domestic sphere: from 2001 to 2004, he worked as an Appeals Counsel at the Office of the Prosecutor for international tribunals, specifically the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

Judicial Appointment

In 2004, Carmona was appointed a High Court Judge on the Supreme Court of Trinidad & Tobago.

In December 2011, he was elected as a Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC), securing the position with strong support (72 votes in the first ballot of the Assembly of States Parties).

Throughout his legal and judicial career, Carmona maintained a reputation for independence, integrity, and a focus on legal and constitutional norms.

Presidency of Trinidad & Tobago (2013–2018)

Nomination & Election

On February 3, 2013, the Prime Minister (Kamla Persad-Bissessar) announced Carmona as the ruling party’s nominee for President.

There was some debate about whether he met the constitutional requirement to be “ordinarily resident” in the country for the ten years prior to the presidency, because of his years abroad (2001–2004). Legal experts were consulted, and it was determined that he satisfied the eligibility requirement.

He was elected by the Electoral College on 15 February 2013 and took office on 18 March 2013, succeeding George Maxwell Richards.

Term & Initiatives

As President, Carmona sought to project a more transparent, accessible, and open style of governance.

During his term, he also received high national honors: he was awarded the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT) and other national decorations.

He did not seek a second term. His tenure concluded, and he was succeeded by Paula-Mae Weekes on 19 March 2018.

Philosophy, Style & Influence

Anthony Carmona’s public persona is that of a constitutionalist and respecter of rule-of-law traditions. His background as a judge and legal scholar shaped a measured approach to leadership.

He often emphasized the symbolic role of the presidency as a unifier above partisan divisions. In speeches and addresses, he underscored the importance of civic values, national identity, and the dignity of all citizens. (Though direct quotes are less accessible in public sources, his actions and messaging have aligned with these themes.)

Carmona’s professional blend—teacher, prosecutor, international jurist, judge, then head of state—makes him a notable bridge between legal institutions and political life in Trinidad & Tobago and the wider Caribbean.

Legacy and Significance

• First from judiciary to head of state: His path from High Court judge and ICC jurist to President underscores the permeability between the legal and highest political offices in Trinidad & Tobago’s system.

• Strengthening institutional norms: His presidency is often viewed as reinforcing constitutional checks, rule-of-law culture, and public trust in nonpartisan stewardship of the state.

• International stature: His role in international tribunals and the ICC brought Trinidad & Tobago increased visibility in global legal affairs.

• Symbol of civic integrity: Despite political polarization, Carmona generally retained respect across different sectors, admired for seriousness, dignity, and a moderate style.

While less celebrated for sweeping policy innovations (as the Trinidadian presidency is largely ceremonial), his tenure is remembered for tone, integrity, and symbolic leadership.