Our People: Perry Christie

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Rt. Honorable Perry G. Christie was sworn in as leader of the Progressive Liberal Party by then Governor General Sir Orville Turnquest on April 7, 1997 succeeding the late Hon. Sir Lynden Pindling.

With that, Christie became the third prime minister in an independent Bahamas and minister of finance from May 2, 2002 to May 2, 2007. Christie secured another term in office from May 7, 2012 to May 11 2017.

Born in Nassau on August 21, 1943, Christie is the eldest son of taxicab driver Gladstone l. Christie and nurse Naomi Christie.

He attended the Eastern Senior School in New Providence before going to University Tutorial College, London Inner Temple and Birmingham University from which he graduated in 1969.

Christie, an attorney-at-law, is believed to have been the youngest Bahamian ever appointed to the senate. Named senator by the late Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling in November 1974, Mr. Christie held his senate seat until June 1977.

Mr. Christie served the country as chairman of the gaming board, the minister of parliament for the Centreville constituency, the minister of health, national insurance, agriculture, trade and industry, and tourism.

He is also a founding member of the Valley Boys.

During his first term in office, Christie established what would later become the world renown award-winning Urban Renewal program, which was later reinvigorated in his second term as Urban Renewal 2.0.

The crime fighting initiative still in existence today focuses on issues such as poor housing conditions, unemployment, illiteracy, homelessness, and other social ills that contribute to crime and anti-social behavior.

Over 1,000 families have benefited from a recently launched small homes repair program tied to Urban Renewal.

Christie is credited for his visionary outlook during his first term, with an ambitious plan for anchor projects on every island.

He also introduced value-added tax at a rate of 7.5%, and the money raised from VAT slated to pay off national debt.

The former leader stepped down as head of the PLP in 2017 after 20 years of service to the party and 40 years in political life.