In part one of this series, we reviewed some of the qualities that we should expect to find in the holder of the high office of our governor-general. Last week, we looked at some of the special considerations that were made in the selection of our first five governors, namely Sir John Paul, Sir Milo Butler, Sir Gerald Cash, Sir Henry Taylor and Sir Clifford Darling.
This week, we would like to Consider This...what special considerations were made in the selection and what were the unique characteristics of the remaining governors general who served between 1995 and the present day?
Sir Orville Turnquest
Sir Orville Turnquest, one of the early members of the Free National Movement (FNM) and a former member of Parliament, attorney general, minister of foreign affairs and deputy prime minister, served as the nation's fifth governor general from January 3, 1995 to November 13, 2001. He was the first governor general to be appointed by an FNM government and Bahamians from both sides of the political divide will agree that he served with distinction and was, at the time of his appointment, perhaps uniquely qualified to reside at Mount Fitzwilliam.
Sir Orville introduced outstanding works by Bahamian artists to Government House and significantly upgraded what had become a somewhat dated home for the head of state. He traveled extensively throughout The Bahamas and abroad and spent many hours visiting school children in their schools and entertaining them at Government House. Perhaps more than any of his predecessors, he "opened" Government House, and all who were invited there were impressed by the style and elegance he exuded in hosting his guests.
Notwithstanding his long political career, mostly in opposition, Sir Orville transcended political partisanship in office and exemplified a nationally unifying force, notably by his involvement with One Bahamas activities.
Sir Orville fulfilled his duties with elegance and aplomb that elevated the office to new heights; while in office he exuded a degree of savoir faire that made us proud to be Bahamian.
Dame Ivy Dumont
Dame Ivy Dumont, the sixth governor general, served from January 1, 2001 to November 30, 2005. A celebrated educator and financial services professional, after the FNM won the historic election in 1992, she served simultaneously as leader of government business in the Senate and as minister of health and environment. She subsequently served as minister of education and youth.
Dame Ivy exuded an unquestionably matronly persona, and her humility and soft-spoken but confident demeanor equipped her to mark an historical moment by being the first woman in The Bahamas to hold the office of governor general.
A devout Christian, Dame Ivy's beliefs strongly influenced her interaction with people from all walks of life; during her term as governor general, she confirmed former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham's description of her as "a true representative of Bahamian womanhood at its best".
Arthur D. Hanna
Arthur D. Hanna, a former PLP member of Parliament and minister of education, home affairs and finance, served as the seventh governor general from January 31, 2006 to April 14, 2010. He, too, was extremely qualified to hold that office because Hanna is regarded as among the greatest Bahamians to have straddled both the 20th and 21st centuries.
In 1967, when the Progressive Liberal Party first won Majority Rule, Hanna became the deputy premier and later deputy prime minister, a position he held until he resigned from the Cabinet in 1984. Early in its administration, the new PLP government focused its attention on education, fully embracing and implementing it as a tool for national development.
During his tenure as the minister of home affairs, Hanna led the development of the government's landmark Bahamianization policy - perhaps his most prominent legacy - which laid the foundation for taking Bahamians out of the back rooms of banks, insurance companies and the other businesses and propelling them to the highest positions in the executive suites, the board rooms and ultimately greater participation and ownership in our economy. That an individual of Hanna's nationalistic fervor so vehemently, vociferously and visibly opposed to British colonial rule would have eventually consented to ascend to the pinnacle of political power in our country as the very representative of the Sovereign who personified colonialism remains an enigma to some. But he always maintained that, while he opposed colonialism, he and his colleagues, on both sides of the political divide, always fully accepted the monarchy, as was embodied in our own constitution, which he co-authored. Hanna never accepted a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, and today remains the only soul to have not done so before ascending to become governor general, an office which he executed with pride and proficiency.
Sir Arthur Foulkes
The current occupant of Government House, Sir Arthur Foulkes, serves as our eighth Bahamian governor general, assuming office on April 14, 2010. Like few others before him, most notably Sir Milo, Sir Cliff, and Hanna, Sir Arthur is one of those individuals who has attained the status of "father of the nation" or "hero of the revolution". He served as minister of communications and minister of tourism in the first Pindling administration, before departing the PLP as a member of the Dissident Eight to assist in the formation of the FNM. Sir Arthur has wide international and diplomatic experience, having served as Bahamian ambassador to the Court of St. James, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the European Union; he was the first Bahamian ambassador to China as well as the non-resident ambassador to Cuba.
Although he has only served four years to date, right-thinking Bahamians will agree that Sir Arthur has been among the best governors general to have served The Bahamas since independence. He has fulfilled his duties with a distinctive kind of Bahamian flair, grace and style. He has demonstrated an ability to unite Bahamians from all walks of life, to transcend political partisanship and to represent the interests of all Bahamians without fear for or favor of political preference.
In fact, Sir Arthur has excelled so magnificently in office that Bahamians should encourage the prime minister to persuade Sir Arthur to remain on for a few more years, given his robust health and acute acumen for executing the office. Although Sir Arthur has advised the prime minister that he is prepared to demit office this year if the former wishes him to do so, this would be a good time for Bahamians, in a demonstration of support and approval for his stellar performance, to urge the prime minister to ask Sir Arthur to remain in office for a little longer.
Taking such an historically decisive action, the prime minister would negate the fallacy that governors general should be changed when governments change and would introduce into our body politic a maturity that has been sorely lacking and urgently needed. Christie can rectify the unpardonable precedent set by his former arch-rival, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, who politicized the office of governor general beginning with his shameful treatment of Sir Clifford in the matter of the Speech from the Throne.
Conclusion
As The Bahamas continues to mature, it is vitally important that we recognize the early contributions to nation building that have been made by those men and women whose unwavering commitment has advanced The Bahamas. It is equally essential that our next governor general be an individual who does not strongly represent or identify with any single constituency or interest group.
In the final installment of this series, we will examine the tenures of governors general in other major English-speaking Caribbean countries with a view to learning from their experience how to once again de-politicize this office.
o Philip C. Galanis is the managing partner of HLB Galanis and Co., Chartered Accountants, Forensic & Litigation Support Services. He served 15 years in Parliament. Please send your comments to pgalanis@gmail.com.

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