George A. Smith, who had been a long-time member of Parliament for Exuma and who was one of the signatories to The Bahamas Constitution, died on Friday.

He was 82.

Smith had been active up until his death and is believed to have died from a heart attack, according to a close relative.

He was discovered dead in his Cable Beach home on Friday afternoon.

An Exumian by birth, Smith was elected in 1968 and served as the MP of Exuma for 29 years. He was also a former minister of agriculture, fisheries and local government.

Smith was a devout Roman Catholic who attended St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church at Lyford Cay.

"George Smith was a good man," his brother, Philip Smith, said yesterday.

"He lived a good life and he did good in his life. He lived his faith in God and I am comforted in knowing that that suggests, or that says, that he is now with his God and one could not ask for a better life or a better afterlife."

Smith was a frequent commentator on national issues and was appointed by the prime minister earlier this year as an advisor to the committee planning the events to mark 50 years of Bahamian independence.

At the time of his death, he was non-resident high commissioner to Singapore and was looking forward to visiting the Southeast Asian state soon.

Former Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes was left deeply saddened by Smith's passing.

"George Smith and I shared a friendship that began in 1963 when he first walked into the office of Bahamian Times on Wulff Road and offered his help to those of us who were working there," Sir Arthur said yesterday.

"He quickly became one of that band of brothers who had committed themselves to the struggle for the achievement of majority rule and the fullness of democracy in our Bahamas.

"George turned out to be extraordinarily gifted for the important business of politics. He had a keen intellect, a passionate love for his country and belief in the goodness and boundless potential of the Bahamian people.

"George and I became good friends. In fact, he was a brother to me. In spite of the turbulence and divisions in the Bahamian political arena over six decades, our friendship remained strong.

"My family joins me in extending to the Smith family our heartfelt sympathy in their bereavement. We share in their loss."

One of Smith's last outings was with his long-time friend and confidant Philip Galanis, who spent time with him on Wednesday evening, and expected to see him on Friday evening.

Galanis said yesterday, "George was one of my closest and dearest friends. I really valued our friendship and deeply admired and respected his intellect and his commitment to the ideals for which he fought all his life.

"George was a progressive and a liberal in the classical sense, and frequently expressed his genuine concern about the plight of the poor and disadvantaged in our society. George was the personification of patriotism. He loved this country, his Exuma, and the Bahamian people throughout the length and breadth of the land.

"His sudden loss has created an unfathomable void that will take an immeasurably long time to fill."

Prime Minister Philip Davis described Smith as "a steadfast advocate for the Bahamian people, a dedicated public servant, and a passionate voice for progress".

"He was a tireless advocate for majority rule and was actively involved in the political evolution of our nation," Davis said.

"His contributions to the pivotal events in Bahamian history will forever be remembered.

"...His unwavering dedication, wealth of experience, and keen understanding of the intricacies of Bahamian history and identity made him a pillar in our society."

Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, who served in Cabinet for two years along with Smith, said his political ambition was singular: the advancement of Exuma and of ordinary Bahamians.

"His constituents will attest to the personal help and assistance lent by their MP, quietly and regularly, not for public attribution. He was especially generous to Exumians studying abroad and in need of financial assistance," Ingraham said.

"He made important contributions to agricultural development in the country when he served as a minister in the Pindling-led government and proved early on to be a friend of the environment."

Ingraham added, "A lifelong faithful and committed PLP, George never permitted his political affiliation to color his personal relationships.

"I can never forget the political ridicule that he received from some of our PLP colleagues when he defended my right to express my strong views on the government's mishandling of the illicit drug trafficking problem besetting our country in the 1980s. Even after I called for his resignation from the Cabinet, he refused to support my expulsion from the party.

"Our friendship persisted in the years following my expulsion from the PLP and my assuming the leadership of the FNM and then of the country.

"I last saw George in Exuma where we were both enjoying the return of the annual National [Family Island] Regatta at the end of last month. He was in good spirits, happy to be home in Exuma and looking forward to the 50th anniversary celebrations of our country's independence for which he served as a consultant."

Former Prime Minister Perry Christie, who, too, spent time with Smith at the recent Exuma regatta, called him a "frontline warrior in the historic struggle for political empowerment and social justice".

He noted that the numbers of those remaining is getting smaller with each passing year. Of those who signed the independence constitution, only four remain: Sir Arthur Foulkes, Sir Orville Turnquest, A. Loftus Roker and Rev. Philip Bethel.

Speaking of conversations he and others had with Smith on Exuma recently, Christie said, "In these personal chats, we put aside the issues which can so senselessly divide us, and concentrated our dialogue instead on our hopes for a more secure and prosperous future for our nation.

"I will forever treasure these conversations. George spoke about progress and the things that we needed to fix to continue that progress and take us to the next level. He talked about the urgency of finding consensus, so that we could tackle our challenges on common ground with common purpose."

Smith is survived by three children, Gina Turner, Dr. Gigi Smith, and Andrew Smith (Vanessa); four grandchildren; and his brothers Robert and Philip Smith, and numerous other relatives and close friends.

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