The Legislative Council had been established in 1831, but was a fully nominated body.[1] In July 1921, San Fernando Borough Council called a public meeting at Carnegie Library, the result of which was a unanimous request for elected representation. Similar demands subsequently came from Arima and Port of Spain.[1] Within a few years, the British authorities agreed to a partly elected legislative council, although with voting limited to a restricted franchise.[1]
Electoral systemedit
The reorganised Legislative Council had 12 official members (civil servants), six nominated members, seven elected members and the Governor, who served as the legislature's speaker. The seven elected members were elected from single-member constituencies.[2]
The franchise was limited to people who owned property in their constituency with a rateable value of $60 (or owned property elsewhere with a rateable value of $48) and tenants or lodgers who paid the same sums in rent. The voting age was 21 for men and 30 for women, and all voters were required to understand spoken English.[1] Anyone who had received poor relief within the most recent six months before election day was disqualified from voting.[2] Only 6% of the population were eligible to vote.[2]
The restrictions on candidates were more severe, with candidature limited to men that lived in their constituency, were literate in English, and owned property worth at least $12,000 or from which they received at least $960 in rent a year. For candidates who had not lived in their constituency for at least a year, the property values were doubled.[1]
Resultsedit
Voter turnout was around 29%, with two constituencies having only one candidate.[2] Three of the seven elected members – Arthur Andrew Cipriani, Charles Henry Pierre and Albert Victory Stollmeyer – were supported by the Trinidad Workingmens' Association,[3] as was the losing candidate in Tobago, Isaac Hope.[4]
^T. Skinner (1926) West Indies and Caribbean Year Book, p163
January 01, 1970
1925, trinidad, tobago, general, election, general, elections, were, held, trinidad, tobago, first, time, february, 1925, contents, background, electoral, system, results, appointed, members, referencesbackground, editthe, legislative, council, been, establish. General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago for the first time on 7 February 1925 1 Contents 1 Background 2 Electoral system 3 Results 3 1 Appointed members 4 ReferencesBackground editThe Legislative Council had been established in 1831 but was a fully nominated body 1 In July 1921 San Fernando Borough Council called a public meeting at Carnegie Library the result of which was a unanimous request for elected representation Similar demands subsequently came from Arima and Port of Spain 1 Within a few years the British authorities agreed to a partly elected legislative council although with voting limited to a restricted franchise 1 Electoral system editThe reorganised Legislative Council had 12 official members civil servants six nominated members seven elected members and the Governor who served as the legislature s speaker The seven elected members were elected from single member constituencies 2 The franchise was limited to people who owned property in their constituency with a rateable value of 60 or owned property elsewhere with a rateable value of 48 and tenants or lodgers who paid the same sums in rent The voting age was 21 for men and 30 for women and all voters were required to understand spoken English 1 Anyone who had received poor relief within the most recent six months before election day was disqualified from voting 2 Only 6 of the population were eligible to vote 2 The restrictions on candidates were more severe with candidature limited to men that lived in their constituency were literate in English and owned property worth at least 12 000 or from which they received at least 960 in rent a year For candidates who had not lived in their constituency for at least a year the property values were doubled 1 Results editVoter turnout was around 29 with two constituencies having only one candidate 2 Three of the seven elected members Arthur Andrew Cipriani Charles Henry Pierre and Albert Victory Stollmeyer were supported by the Trinidad Workingmens Association 3 as was the losing candidate in Tobago Isaac Hope 4 Constituency Candidate Votes Notes Caroni County Sarran Teelucksingh 491 Elected E A Robinson 235 Eastern Counties Charles Henry Pierre Elected unopposed Port of Spain Arthur Andrew Cipriani 2 557 Elected Randolph Rust 910 Gaston Johnson 378 Saint George County Albert Victor Stollmeyer 707 Elected A Cory Davies 206 Saint Patrick County Ernest Radcliffe Clarke 314 Elected A A Sobrian 269 Tobago James Alexander Biggart Elected Isaac Hope Victoria County Thomas Meade Kelshall Elected unopposed Source Teelucksingh Appointed members edit Position Member Governor Horace Byatt Collector of Customs Thomas Robert Cutler Colonial Secretary Thomas Alexander Vans Best Acting Colonial Secretary Robert Howard Furness Director of Agriculture William George Freeman Director of Education George Mackay Director of Public Works Matthew Alexander Murphy General Manager of Railways John Powter Inspector General of Constabulary George Hebert May Protector of Immigrants Arnauld Henry William De Boissiere Acting Solicitor General Walter Harragin Surgeon General Kenrick Stanton Wise Treasurer Henry Barclay Walcott Nominated members Henry Alcazar Albert Bonus Carr Alexander Frazer George Frederick Huggins Arthur Hutton McShine Lennox O Reilly Source Teelucksingh Skinner 5 References edit a b c d e f George John 1991 50 Years of the Ballot Trinidad Express Newspapers p7 a b c d John p8 Jerome Teelucksingh 2014 Labour and the Decolonization Struggle in Trinidad and Tobago pp180 181 Teelucksingh p106 T Skinner 1926 West Indies and Caribbean Year Book p163 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1925 Trinidad and Tobago general election amp oldid 1125035087, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
