Tributes have been paid to former St George’s MP Anita Smith, who died on Friday at the age of 95.Mrs Smith fought during the 1970s to ensure black Bermudians participated equally in the Island’s prosperity.Leading the tributes yesterday was another former St George’s MP — Kim Swan.Speaking on behalf of himself and his wife Cindy, Mr Swan said: “Mrs Smith and her family are personal friends of ours, and we are deeply saddened by her death.“In July of this year, Mrs Anita Smith celebrated her 95th birthday and I was most honoured to have been invited to attend a special party in her honour.”Mrs Smith was a schoolteacher who taught for many years at the East End School.However, Mr Swan said: “She made her mark in history when she was first elected to Parliament for the United Bermuda Party under the new Constitution Order of 1968.Mrs Smith was the Member of Parliament for St George’s North from 1968 to 1980.She was a backbencher who served on many committees, most notably the Public Accounts Committee, and was Deputy Chairman of Marine and Ports.She was a member of the UBP Black Caucus formed in 1975, who were aided by psychologist D. Kenneth Clark, who produced a report outlining their areas of concern and called for greater efforts on the on the part of the UBP to ensure that blacks Island-wide participated equally in the Island’s prosperity.”He added: “It is my understanding that, until her passing, she was the second oldest surviving former Member of Parliament.“Our condolences go out to her son Gary Kent-Smith, his wife Marie and their family. Thank you Anita Smith for providing good service to St George’s and Bermuda. May she rest in peace.”Mr Kent-Smith, 70, said: “My mother was loving and firm. There was no messing around. She was a teacher until 1952, and then she opened a dry goods store, Brodies of St George’s, on York Street.”He recalled that her students liked her so much, they called her Aunt Anita.Mr Kent-Smith also noted that when his mother was elected in 1968, there were only three other female MPs — Dame Lois Browne Evans, Gloria McPhee and Dr Barbara Ball.In addition to her fight for black Bermudians to share in the economic success of the Island, Mr Kent-Smith recalled her battle to stop segregation on a Government-owned beach in St George’s.Mrs Smith was predeceased by her husband, Norwood Smith. Mr Kent-Smith, from Smith’s, is her only child.“From a personal point of view I feel blessed to have had my mother all my life. Many of my friends lost their mothers much earlier.“I am 70, and to have had her so long is an absolute bonus. Although she is gone, and it’s a sorrowful situation, I feel a degree of relief that any ailments she had are no longer an issue. There is no pain and no suffering,” he said.A funeral service will be held on Saturday December 22 at 2pm at St Peter’s Church in St George’s.