Carter was born on 18 December 1929 and educated at Queen's Royal College. In 1948 he became a civil servant, first in the Colonial Secretary's Office and from 1954 in the Legislature Department. He retired in 1989 and three months later was appointed Senator. He was elected President of the Senate in March 1990. He was acting President of Trinidad and Tobago in 1990, during which he signed an amnesty declaration related to the Jamaat al Muslimeen coup attempt.