Ronald Jay Williams

Ronald Jay Williams was born in 1928 in Trinidad and Tobago, then a colony of the British Empire. His mother was Ellen Lai Fook, the sister of Father Arthur Lai Fook, and his father was Trinidadian businessman Louis Jay Williams (1897 – 1968).[7] His brother Michael Jay Williams[8] is also a politician.

Williams's parents were descended from Chinese labourers who came to the Caribbean in the early to mid 1800s. His father was born in Trinidad and would become well known for his business acumen. Louis Jay Williams played a pivotal leadership role in the nation's business development in the 20th century; his many accomplishments included being the first Trinidadian businessman to use local broadcasting stations for advertising purposes and pioneering Trinidad and Tobago's international trade relations, notably establishing the Australia to West Indies Shipping Service. In 1925, Louis Jay Williams founded L.J Williams Ltd., the company Ronald Jay Williams would eventually lead as Managing Director.[9][10]

Williams spent his early life being educated in his native country, attending Western Boys' Roman Catholic School, Belmont Boys' Intermediate School, and St. Mary's College. He then pursued his undergraduate studies in Canada at the University of Toronto, where he would meet his wife, Winifred Lownie.[11]

After completing his studies in Canada, Williams returned to Trinidad where he began his career working for his father at L.J Williams Ltd. From 1952 to 1966, he was the Manager of American Life Insurance Company and a director at L.J Williams Ltd. In 1966, he assumed full control of the family company and became managing director of L.J Williams Ltd.[12] During this time, Williams also became deeply involved in politics at a crucial point in Trinidad and Tobago's transition from colony to independent nation.

In 1958, several islands of the English-speaking Caribbean attempted to seek autonomous governance through the creation of the West Indies Federation. Based on the Canadian Confederation model, each nation formed its own provincial government while also electing representatives to a unified federal parliament. When the newly formed West Indies Federation held its first election in 1958, Williams represented the People's National Movement (PNM) party and was elected to the Federal Parliament of the West Indies Federation as Member of Parliament for Port of Spain West. Although the local PNM party did not win the majority of federal constituencies in Trinidad and Tobago, it helped form the federal government as part of the larger West Indies Federal Labour Party led by Sir Grantley Herbert Adams.[13] Meanwhile, the PNM also controlled the local Legislative Council with Williams's party leader, Eric Williams (no relation), serving as Premier.[14]