Perry Christie
Encyclopedia
Perry Gladstone Christie (born August 21, 1944) is a Bahamian
politician who served as the third Prime Minister of the Bahamas
from 2002 to 2007. He is also a former athlete.
The Right Honourable
Perry Gladstone Christie was sworn in as the fourth Prime Minister of an independent Bahamas on May 3, 2002, following his Progressive Liberal Party
's triumph over the Free National Movement in a general election a day earlier. Official returns gave the former Opposition Leader's party 29 of the 40 House of Assembly seats that were at stake. The FNM, which had governed The Bahamas for nearly a decade under Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham
, won seven seats.
Christie characterizes his party as "a PLP that will not only build new hospitals, schools, bridges and roads, but a PLP that will build up patriotism, pride, optimism and hope. These values must be brought to full flowering; otherwise, we labour in vain." Victorious in the newly created Farm Road constituency in the general election, he was appointed Leader of the Opposition by the Governor-General on April 7, 1997. He had been elected leader of the PLP at a special convention on April 5, 1997. Christie thus succeeded the late Rt. Hon. Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, M.P., who had led the PLP since 1956 as both Leader of the Opposition and leader of the party.
Christie, who was re-elected to the House of Assembly in the March 14, 1997, general election, defeated Dr. Bernard J. Nottage and Mr. Philip C. Galanis, both former M.P.s, in a poll for party leader. Born in Nassau August 21, 1943, Christie is the eldest son of cab driver Gladstone L. Christie and Nurse Naomi Christie, both of whom are deceased. He attended the Eastern Senior School in New Providence, Tampa Technical Institute of Technology and Laura's School of Fashion and Design, from which he graduated with honours in 1969.
Christie, an attorney-at-law, is believed to have been the youngest Bahamian ever appointed to the Senate. Named Senator by Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling in November 1974, Christie served in that capacity until June 1977. In January of the latter year 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 after appointed Minister of Health and National Insurance.
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] to new heights. In 1984, however, along with future Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham, Christie was dismissed from the Cabinet in what was widely perceived at the time to be a pre-emptive strike by Pindling to thwart their anticipated resignation. During the 1987 general election, Christie ran as an independent
candidate, retaining 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 Prime Minister Pindling.
In January, 1993, following the PLP's defeat in the August 1992, general election, Christie was elected Co-Deputy Leader of the PLP (along with Dr. Bernard Nottage) with responsibility for party activities outside parliament.
Christie is a founding member of the Valley Boys, one of the two leading Junkanoo
groups in the country, and of the Pioneers Sporting Club. Christie's athletic skills developed as a member of the Pioneers, and led to his representing The Bahamas at the 1960 West Indies Federation
Games in Kingston, Jamaica, and at the Central American and Caribbean Games
in Kingston in 1962, when he won a bronze medal in the triple jump, the first-ever medal for The Bahamas in a field event in international sporting competition.
A Methodist, Christie is married to the former Bernadette Joan Hanna, chartered accountant, attorney-at-law and banker. They have two sons, Steffan and Adam, and a daughter, Alexandra.
Christie's innovation of the Urban Renewal Programme in The Bahamas received international acclaim, winning both the Association of Caribbean Commissioners Community Policing Award in May 2003 and the International Association of Chiefs of Police and ITT Community Policing Award in 2004.
In the economic sphere, Christie's "Anchor Development Policy" resulted in major resort development projects being attracted to many of the underdeveloped Family Islands although few of these have proceeded to realization in the wake of the crippling global recession. The Anchor Development policy was severely criticized by several interest groups, including the inhabitants of Great Guana Cay
, Bimini Bay and other Family Islands, on primarily environmental grounds.
Prime Minister Christie's five year administration suffered major scandals. The most notable of these were the Anna Nicole Smith matter which led to the resignation of a Minister; fisticuffs between two members of parliament while attending a parliamentary meeting of Mr. Christie's PLP party; an accusation of rape against a senior Cabinet minister. Mr. Christie was widely criticized for responding too slowly and indecisively to these crises.
In 2005, Christie suffered a mild stroke that left him unable to fulfill his duties for several weeks. All indications, however, are that he has made a complete recovery.
The PLP was defeated in the May 2007 general election
, taking 18 seats against 23 for the FNM, and Christie conceded defeat in a phone call to FNM leader Ingraham. After the new FNM government was sworn in, Christie was sworn in as leader of the Official Opposition.
Christie is currently the longest-serving member of the Bahamian Parliament (including his service in the Senate).
In November, 2009, Christie was overwhelmingly returned as Leader of the PLP at its Annual General Convention, garnering more than 80% of the vote over Dr. Bernard Nottage.
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
politician who served as the third Prime Minister of the Bahamas
Prime Minister of the Bahamas
This is a list of Prime Ministers and other Heads of Government of the Bahamas.- Office of the Prime Minister :The Prime Minister of the Bahamas is the head of the government of the Bahamas. He is also the Minister of Finance and the Member of Parliament for New Providence and North Abaco...
from 2002 to 2007. He is also a former athlete.
The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
Perry Gladstone Christie was sworn in as the fourth Prime Minister of an independent Bahamas on May 3, 2002, following his Progressive Liberal Party
Progressive Liberal Party
The Progressive Liberal Party is a populist party in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas commonly abbreviated PLP. The PLP lies on the left of the political spectrum....
's triumph over the Free National Movement in a general election a day earlier. Official returns gave the former Opposition Leader's party 29 of the 40 House of Assembly seats that were at stake. The FNM, which had governed The Bahamas for nearly a decade under Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham
Hubert Ingraham
Hubert Alexander Ingraham is the Prime Minister of the Bahamas. He first served as Prime Minister from August 1992 until May 2002 and became Prime Minister again in 2007. He is a member of the Free National Movement Party . The Rt. Hon. Hubert A...
, won seven seats.
Christie characterizes his party as "a PLP that will not only build new hospitals, schools, bridges and roads, but a PLP that will build up patriotism, pride, optimism and hope. These values must be brought to full flowering; otherwise, we labour in vain." Victorious in the newly created Farm Road constituency in the general election, he was appointed Leader of the Opposition by the Governor-General on April 7, 1997. He had been elected leader of the PLP at a special convention on April 5, 1997. Christie thus succeeded the late Rt. Hon. Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, M.P., who had led the PLP since 1956 as both Leader of the Opposition and leader of the party.
Christie, who was re-elected to the House of Assembly in the March 14, 1997, general election, defeated Dr. Bernard J. Nottage and Mr. Philip C. Galanis, both former M.P.s, in a poll for party leader. Born in Nassau August 21, 1943, Christie is the eldest son of cab driver Gladstone L. Christie and Nurse Naomi Christie, both of whom are deceased. He attended the Eastern Senior School in New Providence, Tampa Technical Institute of Technology and Laura's School of Fashion and Design, from which he graduated with honours in 1969.
Christie, an attorney-at-law, is believed to have been the youngest Bahamian ever appointed to the Senate. Named Senator by Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling in November 1974, Christie served in that capacity until June 1977. In January of the latter year 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 after appointed Minister of Health and National Insurance.
During the June 1982 general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, 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] to new heights. In 1984, however, along with future Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham, Christie was dismissed from the Cabinet in what was widely perceived at the time to be a pre-emptive strike by Pindling to thwart their anticipated resignation. During the 1987 general election, Christie ran as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate, retaining 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 Prime Minister Pindling.
In January, 1993, following the PLP's defeat in the August 1992, general election, Christie was elected Co-Deputy Leader of the PLP (along with Dr. Bernard Nottage) with responsibility for party activities outside parliament.
Christie is a founding member of the Valley Boys, one of the two leading Junkanoo
Junkanoo
Junkanoo is a street parade with music, which occurs in many towns across The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands every Boxing Day , New Year's Day and, more recently, in the summer on the island of Grand Bahama. The largest Junkanoo parade happens in Nassau, the capital...
groups in the country, and of the Pioneers Sporting Club. Christie's athletic skills developed as a member of the Pioneers, and led to his representing The Bahamas at the 1960 West Indies Federation
West Indies Federation
The West Indies Federation, also known as the Federation of the West Indies, was a short-lived Caribbean federation that existed from January 3, 1958, to May 31, 1962. It consisted of several Caribbean colonies of the United Kingdom...
Games in Kingston, Jamaica, and at the Central American and Caribbean Games
Central American and Caribbean Games
The Central American and Caribbean Games are a multi-sport regional championships event, held quadrennial , typically in the middle year between Summer Olympics...
in Kingston in 1962, when he won a bronze medal in the triple jump, the first-ever medal for The Bahamas in a field event in international sporting competition.
A Methodist, Christie is married to the former Bernadette Joan Hanna, chartered accountant, attorney-at-law and banker. They have two sons, Steffan and Adam, and a daughter, Alexandra.
Christie's innovation of the Urban Renewal Programme in The Bahamas received international acclaim, winning both the Association of Caribbean Commissioners Community Policing Award in May 2003 and the International Association of Chiefs of Police and ITT Community Policing Award in 2004.
In the economic sphere, Christie's "Anchor Development Policy" resulted in major resort development projects being attracted to many of the underdeveloped Family Islands although few of these have proceeded to realization in the wake of the crippling global recession. The Anchor Development policy was severely criticized by several interest groups, including the inhabitants of Great Guana Cay
Great Guana Cay
Great Guana Cay is an islet located in The Bahamas. It is a long but narrow islet which is 9 miles in length. It is located in the centre of the Abaco Islands...
, Bimini Bay and other Family Islands, on primarily environmental grounds.
Prime Minister Christie's five year administration suffered major scandals. The most notable of these were the Anna Nicole Smith matter which led to the resignation of a Minister; fisticuffs between two members of parliament while attending a parliamentary meeting of Mr. Christie's PLP party; an accusation of rape against a senior Cabinet minister. Mr. Christie was widely criticized for responding too slowly and indecisively to these crises.
In 2005, Christie suffered a mild stroke that left him unable to fulfill his duties for several weeks. All indications, however, are that he has made a complete recovery.
The PLP was defeated in the May 2007 general election
Bahamian general election, 2007
General elections were held in the Bahamas on 2 May 2007. The result was an opposition victory, with the Free National Movement, led by former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, claiming 23 of the 41 seats. Incumbent Prime Minister Perry Christie conceded defeat in a phone call to his rival. Ingraham...
, taking 18 seats against 23 for the FNM, and Christie conceded defeat in a phone call to FNM leader Ingraham. After the new FNM government was sworn in, Christie was sworn in as leader of the Official Opposition.
Christie is currently the longest-serving member of the Bahamian Parliament (including his service in the Senate).
In November, 2009, Christie was overwhelmingly returned as Leader of the PLP at its Annual General Convention, garnering more than 80% of the vote over Dr. Bernard Nottage.