Sir Cornelius Alvin Smith (born 7 April 1937) is a Bahamian politician and diplomat, who served as the 11th

Governor-General of the Bahamas Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...

from 2019 to 2023.

Biography

Smith was one of the first members of the

Free National Movement The Free National Movement (abbreviated FNM) is a political party in the Bahamas formed in the early 1970s and led by Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield. The current leader of the party is Michael Pintard and the current deputy leader is Shanendon C ...

upon its foundation in the early 1970s, and served in the legislature representing Marco City constituency in

Grand Bahama Grand Bahama is the northernmost of the islands of the Bahamas. It is the third largest island in the Bahamas island chain of approximately 700 islands and 2,400 cays. The island is roughly in area and approximately long west to east and at it ...

, starting in

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...

, and was re-elected three times. Smith served as the

Minister of Education An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...

from 1992 to 1995, Minister of Public Safety and Immigration from 1995 to 1997, Minister of Tourism from 1997 to 2000, and Minister of Transport and Local Government from 2000 to 2002. He also previously was Ambassador to the United States, starting on his appointment on 24 September 2007, as well as Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the

Organization of American States The Organization of American States (OAS or OEA; ; ; ) is an international organization founded on 30 April 1948 to promote cooperation among its member states within the Americas. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, the OAS is ...

and Non-Resident Ambassador to Mexico, Malaysia, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In 2018, Smith was sworn in as the deputy Governor General. On 17 June 2019, he was announced as the 11th

, taking up office on 28 June, in succession to Dame

Marguerite Pindling Dame Marguerite Pindling, Lady Pindling, ( McKenzie; born 26 June 1932) served as the tenth governor-general of the Bahamas, from 8 July 2014 to 28 June 2019. She is the second female governor-general of the Bahamas after Ivy Dumont, Dame Ivy D ...

, who had served in the position since 8 July 2014. In December 2019, Smith was the recipient of the Nassau Pan Hellenic Lifetime Achievement Award for his philanthropic contributions to The Bahamas. Smith demitted the viceregal office on 31 August 2023.

Personal life

Cornelius Alvin Smith was born to Sylvanues and Susan Smith in North End,

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

, Bahamas, on 7 April 1937. He received his primary education at Glintons Public School, Long Island, and his secondary education at the Bahamas Teachers Training College at

Nassau Nassau may refer to: Places Austria * Nassau (Groß Sankt Florian), incorporated village of Groß Sankt Florian Bahamas *Nassau, The Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas Canada *Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upp ...

, subsequently earning a master's degree in business administration from the

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...

. Smith is married to the former Clara Elizabeth Knowles, with whom he has three children.

References

1937 births Living people 21st-century Bahamian politicians Governors-general of the Bahamas Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George University of Miami alumni Defence ministers of the Bahamas Education ministers of the Bahamas Tourism ministers of the Bahamas Transport ministers of the Bahamas Free National Movement politicians Ambassadors of the Bahamas to Costa Rica Ambassadors of the Bahamas to Guatemala Ambassadors of the Bahamas to Honduras Ambassadors of the Bahamas to Nicaragua Ambassadors of the Bahamas to Panama Ambassadors of the Bahamas to Mexico High commissioners of the Bahamas to Malaysia Ambassadors of the Bahamas to Colombia Permanent representatives of the Bahamas to the Organization of American States {{Bahamas-bio-stub