Succeeded by ? Died June 2016, Bermuda | Spouse(s) Roderick DeCouto | |
Ann Frith Cartwright DeCouto (c. 1941 – c. July 1, 2016) was a Bermudian politician, lawyer and a member of the former United Bermuda Party (UPI). She served as a member of the House of Assembly of Bermuda 1983 until 1998, which included a tenure as Deputy Premier from 1989 to 1992 under Premier John Swan, as well as the head of several government ministries under the UPI during the 1980s and 1990s. Cartwright DeCoutowas was perhaps best known as the island's Minister of the Environment, also from 1989 to 1992. In 1990, she enforced a ban on fishing with fishpots in Bermudian waters, a move which was highly unpopular at the time. However, Cartwright DeCouto's ban on the fishpots is now widely credited with reviving Bermuda's fish stocks.
Cartwright DeCouto was elected to the House of Assembly in 1983. Though she resided in Grape Bay, Paget Parish, she represented the Pembroke West Central constituency in neighboring Pembroke Parish. Cartwright DeCouto, a lawyer by profession, specialized in family law. She was one of Bermuda's first female lawyers, along with Lois Simmons and Shirley Simmons.
She first served as Minister of Health and Social Services from 1985 to 1989. Cartwright DeCouto oversaw Bermuda's first response to the emerging AIDS and HIV epidemic. She also commissioned a new prison to replace the outdated Casemates Prison during her time as Social Services minister.
Cartwright DeCouto was simultaneously appointed Deputy Premier of Bermuda and the Minister of the Environment by Premier John Swan from 1989 to 1992. In 1990, she enforced a ban on fishpots in Bermuda, despite widespread opposition from the island's fishing and political sectors. The ban was highly controversial, but Bermuda's fishing stocks were collapsing at the time. At the time, there were 1,400 licensed fishpots in Bermuda, but many fisherman illegally set double or triple the number of fishpots that they were licensed to use. The illegal fishing led to overfishing and a depletion of fish populations around the coral reefs. The fishpot ban initially hurt the domestic fishing industry during the mid-1990s. However, Cartwright DeCouto's ban on fishpots is now widely credited with successfully reviving Bermuda's fish populations.
In 1994, Cartwright DeCouto resigned from John Swan's cabinet to protest a proposed independence referendum promised by the Swan government. Swan favored independence for Bermuda, while Cartwright DeCouto strongly opposed the move. She explained her resignation to a Bermudian newspaper at the time, saying "In the Cabinet you’re either in the boat and go along with the consensus, or you get out of the boat." The independence referendum was soundly defeated on August 16, 1995, with of 73.6% voting against independence. Swan resigned as Premier following the defeat.
Cartwright DeCouto also opposed a proposal to open a McDonald's franchise in Bermuda during the mid-1990s. She introduced the Prohibited Restaurants Act to Parliament in an attempt to stop the fast food restaurant.
She did not seek re-election in the 1998 general election and retired from politics in 1998.
Ann Cartwright DeCouto did in late June 2016 at the age of 71. Her death was announced on July 1, 2016. She was survived by her children and predeceased by her husband, Roderick DeCouto.