Murdered insurance executive John Henry Smith has been remembered by his employer as an actor, playwright, musician, singer and mas man.
But Smith shot into the national spotlight for more ignominious reasons more than 17 years ago when he, along with UNC financiers, politicians and business people were hauled to court on a series of criminal charges arising out of what is now the longest ever corruption case in this country's history.
He died while out on a million-dollar bail and before he got the opportunity to present his own case in his defence for crimes accusing him and others of stealing nearly $1 billion from the maligned $1.6 billion Piarco Airport project between 1995 and 2006.
Smith, 74, the chairman of Maritime General and Fidelity Finance, one of the companies also accused of fraud in the Piarco case, was found dead by police at his residence in Catalina Courts, Saddle Road, Maraval on Friday.
A statement from the Police Service said a 41-year-old woman is assisting homicide officers in their investigations in what seems to be a domestic-related incident.
In a separate statement issued by the Maritime Financial Group hours after Smith's death, the company said it was "devastated" by the news of its chairman death.
"John was a true patriarch and stalwart of the Maritime family. He served for almost 50 years as accountant, financial controller, head of marketing, chief executive and chairman. Because of John, we at Maritime are who we are today. He was a fanatic for service, believer in people, stickler for time; but moreover someone who was larger than life. Beyond business, John was an actor, playwright, musician, singer and 'mas man."
[caption id="attachment_903176" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The Maritime building on the roundabout in Barataria, the headquarters of the Maritime Group. - File Photo[/caption]
The company quoted Smith's mantra "there is only one purpose to life and that is to enjoy life and living. It is not money, it is not power. It is simply to have a good time" and said he lived by that philosophy.
Many of Smith's co-accused, including businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh, Steve Ferguson, Amrith Maharaj, former government ministers Russell Huggins, Brian Kuei Tung, Sadiq Baksh, former chairmen of the Airports Authority Ameer Edoo, Tyrone Gopee, among others have aged considerably since they were charged between 2004 and 2005 and appear weathered by the numerous legal challenges seeking to have the charges dismissed.
Smith is the second accused to have died before going to trial. Former chairman of the National Insurance Property Development Company Edward Bayley died in 2006 after a prolonged illness.
The Piarco corruption case is mired in politics and has been used on the political platform by the ruling PNM as one of the weapons which damaged the credibility of the Basdeo Panday administration which was voted into office for the first time in 1995 to 2000.
It has also been one of the most expensive, apart from the CL Financial corruption probe, still ong
