The Washington Diplomat

Bahamas
His Excellency Cornelius Alvin Smith

Cornelius Alvin Smith became ambassador of the Bahamas to the United States on Jan. 22, 2008, and permanent representative to the Organization of American States on Nov. 13, 2007. Ambassador Smith recently served as the election campaign coordinator for the Free National Movement in its successful bid to win the government again in the 2007 general elections.

A community and political activist, Ambassador Smith entered politics in the early 1970s and is a founding member of the Free National Movement (FNM). He was elected as an opposition member of Parliament for the Marco City constituency in 1982. In 1987, the constituency name was changed to Pine Ridge, and Ambassador Smith was re-elected to serve this constituency for four successive five-year terms from 1982 to 2002. From 1982 to 1992, he served as opposition spokesperson on education, public safety and tourism matters. He also served as a member of the House Select Committee on Illicit Drug Trafficking Within and Through The Bahamas and on the Constituency Boundaries Commission.

In 1992, the Free National Movement, under the leadership of the Right Honourable Hubert A. Ingraham, was elected the governing party and Ambassador Smith was appointed to serve in the Cabinet of The Bahamas. During his long and distinguished political career, Ambassador Smith served as a senior official with the portfolios of minister of education (1992-95), minister of public safety and immigration (1995-97), minister of tourism (1997-2000) and minister of transport and local government (2000-02).

As president and chief executive officer of Smith & Associates from 1982 to 1992, he provided professional consultancy services to international corporations in the specialized areas of manpower development, employee training, compensation, benefits and labor relations. Ambassador Smith was inactive in the firm from 1992 and in May 2002, he resumed active involvement.

A civic-minded individual, Ambassador Smith has also provided leadership to a number of organizations, including the Bahamas Jaycees, the Kiwanis Club of Lucaya, the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce and the Bahamas Association for Manpower Training and Development (BAMTAD). In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the civic life of the Bahamas, he was awarded the Paul Harris Fellow Award by Rotary International.

In addition, Ambassador Smith served as a public school principal in the Department of Education from 1956 to 1964 and as a senior revenue officer in the Customs Department from 1964 to 1967. From 1967 to 1982, he was employed as a human resource specialist with Syntex Corp., an international chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing company.

Ambassador Smith holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Miami. He is married to the former Clara Elizabeth Knowles and the couple has three children.

Embassy of Bahamas
2220 Massachusetts
Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008

Tel: (202) 319-2660
Fax: (202-319-2668