Nomination of Melvin Herbert Evans To Be United States Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago

The President today announced his intention to nominate Melvin Herbert Evans, of the Virgin Islands, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. He would succeed Irving G. Cheslaw.

Dr. Evans was physician in charge of Frederiksted Municipal Hospital at St. Croix, V.I. in 1945-48 and in 1950-51. In 1948-50 he was senior assistant surgeon, teaching fellow in medicine, at Howard University, and in 1951-59 he was chief municipal physician at St. Croix. He was commissioner of health of the Virgin Islands in 1959-67. Dr. Evans was chairman of the Governor's Commission on Human Resources in 1962-66, and member of the Selective Service Board of Appeals (Virgin Islands) in 1967-69. He was Governor of the Virgin Islands in 1969-75 (appointed 1969-71, elected 1971-75). In 1979-81 he was Delegate to Congress from the Virgin Islands. He has practiced medicine at St. Croix from 1967 to 1969, from 1976 to 1978, and since 1981.

Dr. Evans graduated from Howard University (S.B., 1940; M.D., 1944) and the University of California at Berkeley (M.P.H., 1967). He is married, has four children, and resides in St. Croix, V.I. He was born August 7, 1917, in the Virgin Islands.