Background
The Rt. Hon. Perry Gladstone Christie was born in Nassau on August 21, 1943, to Gladstone L. Christie, a taxi driver and Naomi Christie nee Allen, a nurse. He grew up and was raised in the area of New Providence known as The Valley.
The Rt. Hon. Perry Gladstone Christie was born in Nassau on August 21, 1943, to Gladstone L. Christie, a taxi driver and Naomi Christie nee Allen, a nurse. He grew up and was raised in the area of New Providence known as The Valley.
Was expelled from The Government High School . His expulsion was a turning point in his life as he used the experience to commit himself to the pursuit of academic excellence and personal achievement. used the experience to commit himself to the pursuit of academic excellence and personal achievement. After his expulsion, he attended Eastern Senior School under the direct tutelage of Donald W.
Perry Christie received his LL. B. Degree (Hons.) in 1969 from the University Tutorial College, London, England and Birmingham University in 1969. He participated in many mooting competitions whilst in the United Kingdom and won several awards. He was called to the Bar of England & Wales (Inner Temple), in 1969 and immediately following his call in England, returned to Nassau to be called to The Bahamas Bar.
Perry Christie became renown for his mooting and public speaking skills and soon realized that such skills would be an asset to him in the realm of politics.Perry Christie joined the Progressive Liberal Party in the late 1960s. He became an active member of the National Committee for Positive Action (NCPA), which was an informal caucus of young black activists.Perry Christie was also a founding member of Unicol, which was later renamed Unicomm, and which was used as a forum to debate national and international issues of relevance to The Bahamas and young Bahamians. Perry Christie is also a founding member of the Valley Boys Junkanoo Group.In January, 1977 he was appointed Chairman of the Gaming Board, which regulates casinos in The Bahamas and also received the PLP's nomination for the Centreville constituency in the 1977 general election..During the June, 1982, general election, he was re-elected Member of Parliament for Centreville, and was once again appointed by Sir Lynden Pindling to serve as a Cabinet Minister, but as Minister of Tourism. A dynamic Minister, Perry Christie moved tourism in The Bahamas to new heights.In January, 1993, following the PLP's defeat in the August, 1992, general election, Perry Christie retained his seat in the Centreville Constituency and was elected Co-deputy leader of the PLP with responsibility for party activities outside parliament.Perry Christie was appointed Leader of the Opposition by the Governor-General on 7th April, 1997 and began the task of preparing the PLP for the next general election.On the 2nd May, 2002, Perry Christie led the Progressive Liberal Party into the 2002 General Elections. The PLP won 29 of the 40 House of Assembly seats that were at stake, and the following day, The Honourable Perry Gladstone Christie was sworn-in as the third Prime Minister of an independent Bahamas.