Noor Hassanali: President for all

Hassanali was born in San Fernando on August 13, 1918, the sixth child in a Muslim family of seven. He attended the Canaan and Corinth Presbyterian elementary schools and then Naparima College in San Fernando. An avid football fan, and player, he played for his school and for his club, Spitfire.

Hassanali got double first class colours for football and cricket at Naparima College, and was also a member of the Southern Amateur Football Association Team. He also played in national inter-league competition.

When he graduated from the college in 1937 young Hassanali was voted best all-round student. He later taught French and Sports at the college.

In 1943 he migrated to Canada where he studied law at the University of Toronto. He was captain and coach of the College First Division Soccer team and was awarded a bronze athletic medal.

While in Canada, Hassanali also served as a member of the Canadian Officers Training Corps from 1943, until the end of the war in 1945.

In June 1948, he was called to the Bar as a Member of Gray’s Inn, London, England, and in August that same year was admitted to practise in TT.

In 1952, he married Zalayhar Mohammed, who was a schoolteacher. The couple had two children, Khalid and Amena.

Hassanali practised law until 1953, when he was appointed a magistrate and served in that capacity until 1960 in the districts of Victoria, Tobago, St Patrick, Caroni and St George West.

In January 1960, he was appointed a senior magistrate and in October that same year, he was appointed Senior Crown Counsel in the Attorney General’s chambers.

In 1965, he served as assistant solicitor general of TT, and one year later was appointed a judge of the High Court. There was no stopping for Hassanali. Twelve years later, in 1978, he became Justice of Appeal of the Supreme Court of TT.

In April 1985, at age 67, Hassanali retired from his judicial career, but went on to become Master of the Moots at the Hugh Wooding Law School until 1987. He also served on a number of statutory boards, including the Judicial and Legal Service Commission and the TT Defence Force Commission Board.

On March 19, 1987, Hassanali was elected President of the Republic after the general elections which brought the National Alliance for Reconstruction into government.

As such he became Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He was re-elected for a second term when the People’s National Movement came into power in 1992. Later, he was succeeded by Arthur NR Robinson.