Christie, Perry (The Bahamas)

Introduction

Perry Christie was elected prime minister in May 2012. He had previously served as premier from 2002–07.

Early Life

Perry Gladstone Christie was born in Nassau on 21 Aug. 1943. He was schooled in New Providence before moving to the UK, where he graduated from Birmingham University in 1969 and was called to the Bar at London’s Inner Temple. He represented The Bahamas in the triple jump at the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games.

Christie was appointed to the Bahamian Senate in Nov. 1974 by Prime Minister Lynden Pindling. He became head of the national gaming board in Jan. 1977 and in the same year successfully stood in the general election as the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) candidate for the Centreville constituency. He was subsequently named minister of health and national insurance and after the 1982 election took over the tourism portfolio. However, he left the government 2 years later amid allegations that several of his party colleagues had taken bribes....