George Michael Chambers ORTT (4 October 1928 – 4 November 1997) was the second Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. Born in Port of Spain, Chambers joined the People's National Movement (PNM) in 1956, and was elected to Parliament representing the St. Anns East seat. He served as Assistant General Secretary of the PNM before becoming Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance in 1966. From there he went on to serve as Minister of Finance, Public Utilities, Housing, National Security, Education, Panning, Industry/Commerce and Agriculture.
Chambers was one of three Deputy Leaders of the PNM when then-Prime Minister Eric Williams died suddenly in 1981. He was appointed Prime Minister by then-President Ellis Clarke and led the PNM to victory in the 1981 General Elections. In 1986 he led the PNM to its worst ever electoral defeat (winning only 3 of the 36 seats in Parliament). Following the defeat Chambers resigned and was succeeded as PNM leader by Patrick Manning.
Famous quotes containing the words george and/or chambers:
“Bonnie George Campbell rode out on a day.
He saddled, he bridled, and gallant rode he,
And hame cam his guid horse, but never cam he.”
—Unknown. Bonnie George Campbell (l. 2–4)
“O sleep, O gentle sleep,
Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frighted thee,
That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down
And steep my senses in forgetfulness?
Why rather, sleep, liest thou in smoky cribs,
Upon uneasy pallets stretching thee,
And hushed with buzzing night-flies to thy slumber,
Than in the perfumed chambers of the great,
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And lulled with sound of sweetest melody?”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)