<Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> Sir Ellis Clarke (1917--2010) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 15 September 1972 </Td> <Td> 1 August 1976 </Td> </Tr> <P> Under the 1976 Constitution, the constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the President replaced the Monarch as ceremonial head of state . The President was elected by Parliament for a five - year term . In the event of a vacancy the President of the Senate served as Acting President . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> No </Th> <Th> President (Birth--Death) </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Tenure </Th> <Th> Elected </Th> <Th> Prime Minister (s) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Took office </Th> <Th> Left office </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> Sir Ellis Clarke (1917--2010) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1 August 1976 </Td> <Td> 24 September 1976 </Td> <Td> 1976, 1982 </Td> <Td> Williams Chambers Robinson </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 24 September 1976 </Td> <Td> 19 March 1987 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> Noor Hassanali (1918--2006) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 20 March 1987 </Td> <Td> 17 March 1997 </Td> <Td> 1987, 1992 </Td> <Td> Robinson Manning Panday </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> A.N.R. Robinson (1926--2014) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 18 March 1997 </Td> <Td> 16 March 2003 </Td> <Td> 1997 </Td> <Td> Panday Manning </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> George Maxwell Richards (1931--2018) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 17 March 2003 </Td> <Td> 18 March 2013 </Td> <Td> 2003, 2008 </Td> <Td> Manning Persad - Bissessar </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 5 </Th> <Td> Anthony Carmona (1952--) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 18 March 2013 </Td> <Td> 19 March 2018 </Td> <Td> 2013 </Td> <Td> Persad - Bissessar Rowley </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 6 </Th> <Td> Paula - Mae Weekes (1958--) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 19 March 2018 </Td> <Td> Incumbent </Td> <Td> 2018 </Td> <Td> Rowley </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> No </Th> <Th> President (Birth--Death) </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Tenure </Th> <Th> Elected </Th> <Th> Prime Minister (s) </Th> </Tr>

Who was the first president of the republic of trinidad and tobago