Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

121 RANDOLPH T. H. RUST (1854-1930) R andolph Rust arrived in Trinidad in 1881. Following Walter Darwent’s pioneering effort in the 1860’s, Rust was the person who established the oil industry in Trinidad. With financial support from John Lee Lum, he began oil exploration in Aripero and Guayaguayare; in 1901, he struck oil. This success enabled him to get financial backing from Canada to form an oil exploration company. Rust also became involved in politics. He was an elected member of the Port of Spain Borough Council in the 1890’s and then a member of the Port of Spain City Council from 1914-1929 and Mayor of Port of Spain 1920-1921.