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Perry Christie

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The Right Honourable
Perry Gladstone Christie
Christie in 2013
3rd Prime Minister of the Bahamas
In office
8 May 2012 – 11 May 2017
MonarchElizabeth II
Governors GeneralArthur Foulkes
Marguerite Pindling
DeputyPhilip Davis
Preceded byHubert Ingraham
Succeeded byHubert Minnis
In office
6 June 2005 – 4 May 2007
MonarchElizabeth II
Governors GeneralIvy Dumont
Paul Adderley (Acting)
Arthur Dion Hanna
DeputyCynthia Pratt
Preceded byCynthia Pratt (Acting)
Succeeded byHubert Ingraham
In office
3 May 2002 – 4 May 2005
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor GeneralIvy Dumont
DeputyCynthia Pratt
Preceded byHubert Ingraham
Succeeded byCynthia Pratt (Acting)
Minister of Finance of the Bahamas
In office
2002–2007
Preceded byWilliam Clifford Allen
Succeeded byHubert Ingraham
In office
2012–2017
Preceded byHubert Ingraham
Succeeded byPeter Turnquest
Personal details
Born
Perry Gladstone Christie

(1943-08-21) 21 August 1943 (age 81)
Nassau, Bahamas
Political partyProgressive Liberal Party
SpouseBernadette Hanna
Alma materUniversity of Birmingham
City Law School

Perry Gladstone Christie PC, MP (born 21 August 1943) is a Bahamian former politician who served as prime minister of the Bahamas from 2002 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2017.[1] He is the second longest-serving Bahamian elected parliamentarian (behind Sir Roland Symonette who was first elected to parliament in 1925 and served until 1977), representing the Centreville constituency from 1977 to 2017. He is also a former athlete.[citation needed] His Progressive Liberal Party is the oldest Bahamian political party, holding solid majorities in the Bahamian Parliament several times in its long history.

Political career

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The University of Birmingham

Christie is believed to have been the youngest Bahamian ever appointed to the Senate.[2] Named as a Senator by Prime Minister Lynden Pindling in November 1974, Christie served in that capacity until June 1977. In January 1977 he was appointed chairman of the Gaming Board, which regulates casinos in The Bahamas.

Receiving the PLP's nomination for the Centreville constituency in the 1977 general election, Christie was elected Member of Parliament for that constituency, and shortly afterward appointed Minister of Health and National Insurance, and held that position until 1982.[3] During the June 1982 general election, he was re-elected Member of Parliament for Centreville, and was once again appointed to the Prime Minister's Cabinet, but as Minister of Tourism.

A dynamic minister, Christie moved tourism in The Bahamas to new heights. In 1984, however, he was dismissed from the cabinet, and during the 1987 general election ran as an independent candidate. He retained his seat in the Centreville constituency. Three years later – in March 1990 – Christie returned to the fold of the Progressive Liberal Party, and was appointed minister of agriculture, trade and industry by the prime minister. Christie's ministerial responsibilities included the ministry of agriculture, trade and industry; mining, geological surveys, petroleum, fuel, oils and petrochemicals, industries encouragement, manufacturing, relations with The Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation, relations with The Bahamas National Trust, Andros reef and blue holes, and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Co-operatives.

In January 1993, following the PLP's defeat in the August 1992 general election, Christie was elected co-deputy leader of the PLP with responsibility for party activities outside parliament. Victorious in the newly created Farm Road constituency in the general election, he was elected leader of the PLP at a special convention on 5 April 1997 and appointed as leader of the opposition by the Governor-General on 7 April. Christie thus succeeded Lynden Pindling, who had led the PLP since 1956.

Perry held the additional portfolio of Minister of Finance from 2002 to 2007, and from 2012 to 2017.

Events since 2007

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Christie's party, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), was defeated in the May 2007 general election, taking 18 seats against 23 for the Free National Movement (FNM), and Christie conceded defeat in a phone call to FNM leader Hubert Ingraham.[4] After the new FNM government was sworn in, Christie was sworn in as leader of the opposition.[5][6]

In November 2009, Christie was overwhelmingly elected, and returned as Leader of the PLP at its Annual General Convention, garnering more than 80% of the vote over Dr. Bernard Nottage.[citation needed]

Christie was re-elected as Prime Minister of the Bahamas on 7 May 2012.

Christie has brought programmes like Urban Renewal.[7]

Christie also introduced Value Added Tax at a rate of 7.5%. The money raised from VAT was slated to pay off National Debt.

No Freedom of Information Act has even been implemented under his government, although while in opposition he pushed for it.[8]

Multiple human rights violations have been investigated under his leadership, none of which have been solved.[9]

10 May 2017 General Elections

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In a landslide defeat by the Free National Movement (FNM), the PLP was defeated in the 10 May 2017 general elections with the FNM winning 35 seats, and the PLP winning only 4 seats.[10] The historic win also resulted in the unseating of Perry Christie from his Centerville seat by a mere four votes, a constituency which he had represented for 40 consecutive years.

Second Government (2012–2017)

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Name Position Date of appointment
Perry Christie Prime Minister and Minister of Finance 8 May 2012
Philip Davis Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Urban Development 9 May 2012
Frederick A. Mitchell Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration 10 May 2012
Glenys Hanna Martin Minister of Transport and Aviation 10 May 2012
Melanie Griffin Minister of Social Services and Community Development 10 May 2012
Michael Darville Minister for Grand Bahama 10 May 2012
Perry Gomez Ministry of Health and Social Development 10 May 2012
Kenred Dorsett Minister of the Environment and Housing 10 May 2012
Daniel Johnson Minister of Youth Sports and Culture 10 May 2012
Ryan Pinder Minister of Financial Services 10 May 2012
Jerome Fitzgerald Minister of Education, Science, and Technology 10 May 2012
Shane D. Gibson Minister of Labour and National Insurance 10 May 2012
V. Alfred Gray Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources, and Local Government 10 May 2012
Z. C. Allyson Maynard Gibson Attorney General, Minister of Legal Affairs 10 May 2012
Bernard J. Nottage Minister of National Security 10 May 2012
Obediah Wilchombe Minister of Tourism 10 May 2012

References

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  1. ^ Information Services, Bahamas Government. "Reference Biography Service: Hon, Perry Gladstone Christie" (PDF).
  2. ^ East, Roger; Thomas, Richard J. (3 June 2014). Profiles of People in Power: The World's Government Leaders. Routledge. ISBN 9781317639404.
  3. ^ ""Health Heroes" Award Ceremony, September 8, 2002" (PDF). ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu.
  4. ^ "Bahamas government ousted in poll", BBC News, 3 May 2007.
  5. ^ Stephen Gay, "Christie Sworn In As Leader of Official Opposition; Appeals For National Healing", The Bahama Journal, 9 May 2007.
  6. ^ Annan Boodram, "Changing of the Guard in the Bahamas" Archived 12 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Caribbean Voice, May 2002.
  7. ^ Letter from Rick Lowe (24 September 2012). "Urban Renewal 2.0 An Admission of Failure?". Tribune 242.
  8. ^ Travis Cartwright-Carroll (30 March 2015). "Minnis: PM does not respect democracy". The Nassau Guardian.
  9. ^ Ava Turnquest (23 March 2015). "Hearings on Human Rights Hailed As A Great First Step". Tribune 242.
  10. ^ "General Election 2017 OFFICIAL RESULTS". www.bahamaslocal.com. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of the Bahamas
2002–2005 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of the Bahamas
2005–2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of the Bahamas
2012–2017 		Succeeded by
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