Mr. Stephen Cadiz first entered Parliament in 2010 when he was elected as the representative for Chaguanas East in the 10th Republican Parliament and appointed Minister of Trade and Industry. A prominent businessman and social activist, Mr. Cadiz first headed the Ministry responsible for the country’s diversification drive, i.e. developing the non-energy services and manufacturing sectors to achieve long term sustainable economic growth. In June 2012 he would be appointed Minister of Tourism.

Mr. Cadiz is of French and Spanish heritage and is originally from Arima, the largest town in the Eastern part of Trinidad. In 1987 in the midst of a severe recession, he started Tropical Power Limited in Edinburgh Village, Chaguanas. Based on his own knowledge of the power generation services industry, Mr. Cadiz grew his company from a locally based entity into a regional organization which specializes in the sale, rental and service of commercial and industrial generators.

Mr. Cadiz first came to prominence in Trinidad and Tobago through his social activism in mid 2005. However he had already been involved in various citizens’ groups and in particular environmental causes, for a number of years. Following the murder of his employee, Keith Noel, and angered by the rising crime rate and apparent indifference of the authorities to the deteriorating social situation, Mr. Cadiz formed the Keith Noel 136 Committee. The Committee organized a number of large social activities including mailing out a referendum to some 930,000 citizens in 2006 and staging a Death March against crime in 2005. 

Realising that civic activism was not having the desired effect; Mr. Cadiz decided to enter the political arena in order to affect the change he believed was necessary for the country to move forward. In his first foray into politics he represented Chaguanas East as a member of the United National Congress (UNC) of the People’s Partnership, and after their victory at the polls on May 24th, 2010, was sworn in as a Minister in the Government of Trinidad and Tobago on Friday 28th May, 2010.

Adapted from the Ministry of Trade and Industry website, www.tradeind.gov.tt

Maiden Contribution

The House of Representatives - Tuesday September 14, 2010 - link
The Appropriation (Financial Year 2011) Bill, 2010 - link