The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

AS he marks his 70th birthday today, Prime Minister Perry Christie is predicting the Bahamas will reap “significant” results on key issues like crime and the economy by the end of his term in office.

The Prime Minister said he will celebrate his birthday by exercising, spending time with friends and reflecting on his long life and 40 years of public service.

“First I go to a gym where I do some exercises,” he told the press yesterday. “I then go to Goodman’s Bay. This morning I did 3.1 miles in 49 minutes, so I’ll do that again.

“Then I’ll sort of begin my birthday. I’ll have friends coming in. I never take time off but I promised I was going to take time off except for the fact that an Urban Renewal man is coming to the office tomorrow to play happy birthday music for me. I will go in and listen to that then I’ll go back and fellowship with friends and reflect on the many, many years that I have had in this life.

“I’m approaching my 70th birthday and I have had a good life, I have a wonderful family and friends. I’ve given most of my adult life to the Bahamian public in the sense that next year I would have 40 consecutive years in the public life which is a very long time and it’s just been a wonderful, wonderful experience, all the ups and down, the valleys and the peaks and so forth, so I’m very happy about my own existence.

“I actually believe the people of the Bahamas will see over the ensuing period very significant results and I’d like to take the credit for the initiatives we’re taking for the results they are going to see; all the naysayers will see dramatic improvements to the economy, will see significant direct foreign investments being made, will see impressive strides being taken to curb crime.

“All these things they’ll see that we take full responsibility for and also we will demonstrate a very, very strong belief in Bahamians through some of the things we’re going to be doing with them so I’m very encouraged by this whole exercise,” he said.