Perry Christie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable Perry Gladstone Christie
Christie in 2013
3rd Prime Minister of the Bahamas
In office 8 May 2012 – 11 May 2017
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Arthur Foulkes Marguerite Pindling
Deputy	Philip Davis
Preceded by	Hubert Ingraham
Succeeded by	Hubert Minnis
In office 6 June 2005 – 4 May 2007
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Ivy Dumont Paul Adderley (Acting) Arthur Dion Hanna
Deputy	Cynthia Pratt
Preceded by	Cynthia Pratt (Acting)
Succeeded by	Hubert Ingraham
In office 3 May 2002 – 4 May 2005
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Ivy Dumont
Deputy	Cynthia Pratt
Preceded by	Hubert Ingraham
Succeeded by	Cynthia Pratt (Acting)
Minister of Finance of the Bahamas
In office 2002–2007
Preceded by	William Clifford Allen
Succeeded by	Hubert Ingraham
In office 2012–2017
Preceded by	Hubert Ingraham
Succeeded by	Peter Turnquest
Personal details
Born	Perry Gladstone Christie (1943-08-21) 21 August 1943 (age 81) Nassau, Bahamas
Political party	Progressive Liberal Party
Spouse	Bernadette Hanna
Alma mater	University of Birmingham City Law School

Perry Gladstone Christie (born August 21, 1943) is a former politician from The Bahamas. He served as the Prime Minister twice: first from 2002 to 2007, and again from 2012 to 2017.

Christie is one of the longest-serving elected members of the Bahamian Parliament. He represented the Centreville area from 1977 to 2017. He was also an athlete in his younger years. His political party, the Progressive Liberal Party, is the oldest in The Bahamas. It has often held the most seats in the Bahamian Parliament.

Perry Christie's Political Journey

The University of Birmingham

Perry Christie became a Senator in November 1974. A Senator is a member of a country's parliament. He was one of the youngest Bahamians ever to be appointed to this role. He served as a Senator until June 1977. In January 1977, he became the chairman of the Gaming Board. This board is in charge of regulating casinos in The Bahamas.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

In the 1977 general election, Christie was chosen to represent the Centreville area. He won the election and became a Member of Parliament. Soon after, he was appointed as the Minister of Health and National Insurance. He held this important job until 1982.

In June 1982, he was re-elected as a Member of Parliament for Centreville. He was then appointed to the Prime Minister's Cabinet again, this time as the Minister of Tourism. As Minister of Tourism, Christie helped the tourism industry in The Bahamas grow a lot.

Returning to the Progressive Liberal Party

In 1984, Christie left the cabinet. In the 1987 general election, he ran as an independent candidate, meaning he was not part of a specific party. He still won his seat for Centreville.

Three years later, in March 1990, Christie rejoined the Progressive Liberal Party. The Prime Minister then appointed him as the Minister of Agriculture, Trade and Industry. In this role, he was responsible for many areas, including farming, trade, and industries.

Leading the Opposition

In January 1993, after his party lost the 1992 election, Christie was elected as a co-deputy leader of the Progressive Liberal Party. This meant he helped lead the party's activities outside of Parliament.

He won the election in the new Farm Road area. On April 5, 1997, he was elected as the leader of the Progressive Liberal Party. Two days later, he was appointed as the Leader of the Opposition. This role means he was the main leader of the party not in power. He took over from Lynden Pindling, who had led the party for a long time.

Christie also served as the Minister of Finance from 2002 to 2007, and again from 2012 to 2017.

Key Events Since 2007

In May 2007, Christie's party, the Progressive Liberal Party, lost the general election. They won 18 seats, while the Free National Movement (FNM) won 23 seats. Christie accepted the defeat and became the Leader of the Opposition again.

In November 2009, Christie was re-elected as the leader of his party. He won with a large majority of the votes.

Becoming Prime Minister Again

On May 7, 2012, Christie was re-elected as the Prime Minister of The Bahamas. During his time as Prime Minister, he started programs like Urban Renewal. This program aimed to improve communities.

He also introduced a Value Added Tax (VAT) at a rate of 7.5%. This tax was meant to help pay off the country's national debt.

2017 General Elections

In the general elections on May 10, 2017, the Free National Movement (FNM) won by a large margin. The FNM won 35 seats, while the Progressive Liberal Party won only 4 seats. This was a big defeat for Christie's party.

Perry Christie also lost his own seat in the Centreville area by just four votes. He had represented this area for 40 years.

Second Government (2012–2017)

See also

In Spanish: Perry Christie para niños