The monthly meeting of the General Council of the Progressive Liberal Party at its headquarters were the occasion and venue used to toast Prime Minister Christie on 40 consecutive years of public service as a parliamentarian. He celebrated with family, friends, parliamentary and cabinet colleagues, Stalwart Councilors and the party faithful.
Paying tribute to the Prime Minister were National Chairman Bradley Roberts; Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Fred Mitchell; Tall Pines MP Leslie Miler; Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin; the PM’s brother Gary, who spoke for the Christie family and wife of 40 years Bernadette Christie.
Attorney General Sen. Allyson Maynard-Gibson, who was out of the country on government business sent in a congratulatory note.
It was the 27th November 1974 when 31 year Perry G. Christie, an attorney in private practice, was called to public service and front line politics by then Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling. Milo Butler Jr. had resigned his senate seat to take up a post overseas as Consul General in Miami and Mr. Christie would fill this senate vacancy.
It is widely believed that with this appointment, Sir Lynden began the process of putting in place the next generation of political leaders of The Bahamas. As fate would have it, Mr. Christie would hold positions of increased responsibility in the executive branch of government that would culminate in his ascension to the lofty office of Prime Minister.
After being elected to the House of Assembly in 1977 as the representative for Centerville, Mr. Christie would hold several key ministerial portfolios over the next fifteen years. He served as the Minister of Health and National Insurance from 1977 to 1982; Minister of Tourism from 1982 to 1984; and Minister of Agriculture, Trade and Industry from 1990 to 1992.
After leading the PLP to election victories in 2002 and 2012, Christie served as Prime Minister and Minister of Finance from 2002 to 2007 and from 2012 to the present.
Politically, Prime Minister Christie won his Centerville (including Centerville/Farm Road) seat in eight consecutive general elections, including the 1987 general elections where he contested Centerville as an independent candidate after his firing from Sir Lynden’s cabinet and expulsion from the Progressive Liberal Party. Mr. Christie would later return to the PLP in 1990 and eventually lead that organization from 1997 to this present day.
As leader of the Progressive Liberal Party, Prime Minister Christie has won two by-elections - Elizabeth in 2010 with candidate Ryan Pinder and North Abaco in 2012 with candidate Renardo Curry - and two general elections, in 2002 and 2012. His party also suffered an electoral defeat in the 2007 general elections.
