By MORGAN ADDERLEY

AFTER more than 20 years in frontline politics, former Speaker of the House Alvin Smith is looking forward to embarking on a new chapter as High Commissioner to Canada.

In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Smith detailed what he hopes to accomplish in this role, saying, “I’m looking for opportunities for Bahamians.”

“One of my primary obligations is to assist Bahamian citizens, be they students, visitors or residents there who call upon the High Commission - eg renewal of documents, authentication of documents, persons who run afoul of the law or generally Bahamians who are in distress.”

For students, he said, “there are opportunities to increase the number of scholarships that are available to Bahamians” as well as foster the “[development of] courses geared toward the national development of The Bahamas” in Canadian universities.

Education and hard work are very important to Mr Smith, who spent 24 years as an educator. Born and raised in Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera, Mr Smith started working from the age of 13, taking care of his grandparents’ hogs, goats and sheep.

From 14 to 16, Mr Smith worked on the trucks that transported goods from the poultry and dairy divisions to the docks. Of that time, he said: “I would be the one to offload them on the boat…. Went to work [at] 7 in the morning, left at 8:45, went to school, then went back to work at 3:15, 3:30 after school.”

By the age of 17, Mr Smith had become a monitor, or an untrained teacher, and commenced his studies at the San Salvador Teachers’ College. Upon graduating, and one month before his 22nd birthday, Mr Smith became principal of the All Age School in Staniel Cay, Exuma.

From 1976-1987, Mr Smith taught at SC McPherson Junior High School in Nassau. He also obtained a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Secondary Education from the University of Miami. From 1987-1992, he was the head of physical education at CH Reeves Junior High School.

Mr Smith’s time in education, and specifically his involvement in the Teacher’s Union, directly led to his involvement in politics.

“The first, I think, national strike against the PLP since it was the government was in January of 1981 by the Teacher’s Union. And I was very active in that — attended every meeting, participated in every demonstration,” he said.

In early 1992, the Trade Union Congress recommended to then Free National Movement Leader Hubert Ingraham that Mr Smith be appointed to the Senate.

Although Mr Smith was unable to become a senator then, in the general election of August 1992, he was designated to campaign for the FNM in Central Eleuthera.

“I went against one of the giants…he would have been the [Member of Parliament] for several (election cycles) then, Mr Philip Bethel,” Mr Smith recalled.

“I think I lost by about 300 votes that election. But it brought about a change in the politics of Hatchet Bay. Overall he beat me by over 300 (votes), but out of that community in Hatchet Bay he beat me by about 30-something votes. And that was the beginning of the change in that whole town, which used to be a PLP stronghold.”

Following that defeat, Mr Smith became a senator and was appointed vice-president of the Senate.

Mr Smith campaigned and was elected MP for North Eleuthera in 1997, 2002, and 2007. His additional roles included: parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of Education (1995-1997 and 2001-2002), executive chairman of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Cooperation (1997-2001), deputy speaker of the House of Assembly (1997-2000), and leader of the Official Opposition (2002-2005).

In 2007, Mr Smith became speaker of the House of Assembly, a position he maintained until 2012. Following this tenure, Mr Smith declined to run in the 2012 election, thinking it was time for a “break”. However, there were times he “regretted it”.

“I thought could I have helped my party more if I had remained. No MP, no prime minister, no government, completes their whole agenda. There’s always more that you can do. Always. You do as much as you can during the time that you have... (But) when you review, take a retrospection, you wish you were there, that’s always with you.”

From 2012-2016, Mr Smith became a licensed realtor and underwriter. In 2016 he declined an invitation to vie for the post of FNM chairman, however, he has remained active in the party, serving on committees and councils.

In November 2017, Mr Smith was appointed High Commissioner to Canada. In addition to creating and maintaining opportunities for Bahamians in Canada, he also said: “I hope I can increase the interest of persons wanting to do business in The Bahamas, heighten the level of promotion of business investments, trade.”

“I was reading the files, and I was told that almost weekly there are usually six to ten persons that would contact the High Commission and express their interest in investing in The Bahamas. So hopefully that number can increase, and not just numbers in proposals, but in actual development in The Bahamas.”

Mr Smith also hopes to promote The Bahamas as a destination for Canadians, “to visit on vacation, and also visit to invest.” He also seeks to agree upon “memorandums of understanding” with Canada to ease trade between the two nations.

Mr Smith said he will be representing the interests of Bahamians in his new role, and will also focus on connecting with Bahamians abroad in Canada.

“There is a wealth of knowledge among Bahamians over there. So we would like to know, or get them interested, in sharing with The Bahamas. Whether it’s sharing through consultancy, or sharing to actually relocate back to The Bahamas. But we really want to deepen that relationship with the Bahamian diaspora.”

Mr Smith is looking forward to his new role.

“It is my sincere belief and my conviction that Bahamians representing our country abroad, particularly in the Foreign Service where we are the face of the country, its people and its government, that we should at all times represent the best of our country— in our deportment, manner of dress, our attitude, our conduct, our culture and our overall standard in all spheres of our interactions and responsibilities.

“We should respect and show sensitivity to the culture, traditions and overall standards of the countries, territories, and provinces of the jurisdictions we are privileged to serve in and represent our country.

“I thank God for His continued blessings and I wish to sincerely thank our Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis for giving me this cherished opportunity to serve my country and to represent our government and our people in the international arena.”

Since 1974, Mr Smith has been married to Arnette Pinder Smith. The two have a son, who is a graduate of Acadia University in Canada, a daughter, and “an amazing granddaughter”.