The Tribune

By CHESTER ROBARDS

Tribune Senior Reporter

crobards@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Parliamentarian and acting Governor General, Paul Adderley, died yesterday after a lengthy illness. He was 84 years old.

Mr Adderley was described yesterday by Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell as a “founding father” who was a “fierce Bahamian and patriot.”

Mr Mitchell, who spoke to members of the media following a meeting with foreign service personnel at Breezes Superclubs, heralded Mr Adderley’s passing as the end of an era. Mr Adderley had also been a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, then External Affairs, Mr Mitchell said.

“We have lost a great son,” he said. “I wish on behalf of the officers here to extend condolences.”

Mr Mitchell said a state funeral for Mr Adderley could be held some time next week.

Almost immediately after the news of Mr Adderley’s death had spread, condolences came pouring into The Tribune’s newsroom from Prime Minister Perry Christie, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, the office of the Attorney General, and numerous other politicians, and the general public.

Mr Adderley’s mild manner and swift sense of humour were just some of the personal traits by which, Mr Mitchell said, he would remember his former party member. But, he insisted it was the indelible mark Mr Adderley left on the entire country that will be his legacy.

“He was born into a life of privilege, but did not accept that privilege as a right which did not have to be shared with the Bahamian public,” said Mr Mitchell.

“He gave his talents and his acumen and his intelligence, and wealth to developing a greater Bahamas.”

In his condolence letter, Mr Christie recognized Mr Adderley as a truly “remarkable human being and nationalist” who engineered the transition of the Bahamas’ colonial legal system, constructed the country’s foreign policy following its independence, fought a courageous fight against drug-trafficking as Minister of National Security, and who helped to raise the academic standard in the public school system, among other accomplishments.

“Mr Adderley was always a fiery and meticulously prepared debater, whether in the House of Assembly or the Senate,” said Mr Christie. 

“Uniquely, he was the fourth consecutive generation of his family to serve in the Bahamian legislature, having been preceded by his father, the Hon A F Adderley, and before that, by his grandfather, Wilfred Parliament Adderley, and earlier still by his great grand-uncle, William Campbell Adderley who was a member of the House of Assembly more than 130 years ago.”

As a lawyer, Mr Adderley was a leader of the Bahamas Bar for almost 60 years, Mr Christie said.

As if the breath of his accomplishment did not overstate his devout nationalism, Mr Mitchell added that Mr Adderley had rejected a knighthood and the title QC (Queens Council) on the basis that “he believed all of those were colonial honours.”

In the end Mr Adderley was named “honourable for life” by former Prime Minister Lynden Pindling, according to Mr Mitchell.

“He fiercely believed in the Bahamas and defended our interest across the globe,” he said.