Mr. Hugh Russell Ian Roach first entered Parliament as a Temporary Independent Senator on March 26, 2013.  He was later appointed an Independent Senator on August 2, 2013 and re-appointed on September 22, 2015 at the beginning of the 11th Parliament.

Mr. Roach has had a 26-year career as an advocate and lobbyist, both locally and internationally.  He has considerable experience in civil, public, labour and criminal law as well as military law, having presided over several courts-martial as a Judge Advocate in the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force.

Mr. Roach has practiced internationally with emphasis on negotiation, mediation and lobbying on behalf of international firms and governments including The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, The Republic of South Africa, The Democratic Republic of Congo and The Ivory Coast.  He has functioned as an adviser to government officials on the African continent on a variety of issues, including bi-lateral trade agreements, joint ventures, international law and relations, and cross-border criminal proceedings. Mr. Roach was the Honorary Consul of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to South Africa during the presidency of Nelson Mandela and later that of Thabo Mbeki.

Mr. Roach gained his BA in history and law, and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of the West Indies. He went on to graduate from the Hugh Wooding Law School.

Maiden Contribution

The Senate - Tuesday September 9, 2013 - link
The Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2013 - link