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

9 DR. ERIC E. WILLIAMS (1911-1981) E ric Eustace Williams was the son of Elisa and Henry Williams. He was educated at Tranquillity Boys Government School, Queens Royal College (QRC) and Oxford University (England). At the high school level he played both football and cricket for the college, and won the Island Scholarship to Oxford University, excelling in History, Spanish, French and Latin. A football injury at QRC led to a hearing problem for which he wore a hearing aid to correct. He was a teacher at QRC for a short while before heading off to England to attend Oxford University where he placed first in history and received his BA and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. In 1939, he migrated to the United States to teach at Howard University. He became a well-known lecturer there and organised several courses. In 1948, he left Howard to head the Research Branch of the Caribbean Commission but resigned in 1955 after returning to Trinidad and Tobago where he became deeply involved in politics and where he made his first major political speech “My Relations with the Caribbean Commission”. A year later, he formed the People’s National Movement (PNM), the political party of which he became the leader until the time of his death. In September of 1956, the PNM won the national elections and he became the chief minister of the country from 1956 to 1959, our first premier from 1959 to 1962, and our first prime minister from 1962 to 1981. Often called the “Father of the Nation”, during his term as Prime Minister, Williams led Trinidad and Tobago into the Federation of the West Indies, to independence within the Commonwealth in 1962 and to Republic status in 1976. He died on March 29, 1981 while he was still the Prime Minister. There are many calypsoes that featured Dr. Williams such as The Mighty Sparrow’s PAYE (Paye As You Earn) and Federation and Cypher’s Last Election. He wrote many articles and books on the Caribbean, education, and politics. The following are some of his writings: Constitutional Reform in Trinidad and Tobago , Port of Spain: Teachers’ Economic and Cultural Association, Public Affairs Pamphlet, no. 2, 1955; Economics of Nationhood . Port of Spain: Government