Bahamas Information Services Updates
C.A. Smith appointed Ambassador to Washington
By Clunis Devaney, BIS
Sep 24, 2007 - 4:46:35 PM

The Hon. Cornelius A. Smith has been appointed The Bahamas Ambassador to the United States of America. (BIS file photo)

NASSAU, Bahamas – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (Monday, September 24, 2007) announced the appointment of the Honourable Cornelius Alvin Smith as The Bahamas Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America.

However, his accreditation date has not been announced pending the issuing of formal letters by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The US Government, in the meantime, has given “agreement” for Mr. Smith’s appointment. He succeeds career civil servant Mr. Joshua Sears, who demitted office earlier this year.

Miss Rhoda Jackson continues to act as Charge d’Affaires at The Bahamas Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Cornelius Alvin Smith, son of the late Sylvanues and Susan Smith, was born at North End, Long Island, on April 7, 1937. He received his primary education at Glinton’s Public School, Long Island, and his secondary education at the Bahamas Teachers Training College in Nassau.

He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Miami.

Mr. Smith served as a public school principal in the Department of Education from 1956 to 1964, and as a senior revenue officer in the Customs Department from 1964 to 1967. From 1967 to 1982 he was employed as a human resource specialist with Syntex Corporation, an international chemical and pharmaceutical company.

A civic-minded individual, Mr. Smith provided leadership to a number of organizations, including the Bahamas Junior Chamber (Jaycees), the Kiwanis Club of Lucaya, the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce and the Bahamas Association for Manpower Training and Development (BAMTAD). In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the civic life of The Bahamas he was awarded the Paul Harris Fellow award by Rotary International.

As President and CEO of Smith and Associates, he provided professional consultancy services to international corporations in the specialized areas of manpower development, employee training, compensation, benefits and labour relations.

A community and political activist, Mr. Smith entered frontline politics in the early 1970s and is a founding member of the Free National Movement (FNM). He was elected as an Opposition Member of Parliament for the Marco City Constituency in 1982. In 1987 he ran as a candidate for the Pineridge Constituency. Mr. Smith was elected to serve this constituency for four consecutive five-year terms.

From 1982 to 1992 he served as Opposition spokesman on Education, Public Safety and Tourism matters. He also served as a member of the House Select Committee on Illicit Drug Trafficking Within and Through The Bahamas and on the Constituency Boundaries Commission.

In 1992, the Free National Movement, under the leadership of the Right Hon. Hubert Ingraham, was elected the governing party and Mr. Smith was appointed to serve in the Cabinet of The Bahamas.

During his long and distinguished career Mr. Smith served the people of The Bahamas as a senior Minister with the portfolios of Minister of Education (1992-1995), Minister of Public Safety and Immigration (1995-1997), Minister of Tourism (1997-2000) and Minister of Transport and Local Government (2000-2002).

Mr. Smith served as the election campaign coordinator for the Free National Movement in its successful bid to win the Government again in the 2007 general election.

He is married to the former Clara Elizabeth Knowles and the couple has three children.

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