Arthur Foulkes

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The Most Honourable
Sir
Arthur Foulkes
GCMG
Arthur Foulkes (cropped).jpg
9th Governor-General of the Bahamas
In office
14 April 2010 – 7 July 2014
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterHubert Ingraham
Perry Christie
Preceded byA.D. Hanna
Succeeded byDame Marguerite Pindling
Personal details
Born (1928-05-11) 11 May 1928 (age 93)
Matthew Town, The Bahamas
Political partyProgressive Liberal Party (Before 1971)
Free National Movement (1971–present)
Spouse(s)Joan Eleanor Foulkes

Sir Arthur Alexander Foulkes GCMG (born 11 May 1928)[1] is a politician who was the ninth governor-general of the Bahamas from 2012 to 2014.[2]

Foulkes was elected to the House of Assembly in 1967 and served in the government of Lynden Pindling as Minister of Communications and Minister of Tourism.[3] In 1971, he was a founder of the Free National Movement, and he was appointed to the Senate in 1972 and 1977 before returning to the House of Assembly in 1982.[3] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (KCMG) in 2001. He was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG) in 2011.[3]

Early life[]

Foulkes, a native of the Bahamas, was born on the island of Inagua in Matthew Town on 11 May 1928.[4] His parents were Dr William and Mrs. Julie Foulkes (née Maisonneuve).[4] Foulkes is married to the former Joan Eleanor Bullard of Nassau.[4]

Career[]

Viceregal styles of
Sir Arthur Foulkes
(2012–2014)
Coat of arms of Bahamas.svg
Reference styleHis Excellency
Spoken styleYour Excellency

Foulkes started his working life as a newspaper linotype operator, first at the daily newspaper , then at the competing Tribune newspaper.[4] He became a reporter for Tribune's editor Sir Étienne Dupuch, rising to become News Editor of Tribune.[4] From 1962 to 1967, Foulkes was founding editor of Bahamian Times, the official paper of the Progressive Liberal Party, backing the campaign for majority rule, and later a columnist for Nassau Guardian and Tribune.[4]

In 1967, he was elected to Parliament and the following year appointed to serve in the Cabinet as Minister of Communications, then as Minister of Tourism.[3] He was one of the founders of the Free National Movement in 1971.[3] He was appointed to the Senate in 1972 and 1977, and re-elected to the House of Assembly in 1982.[3] In 1972, Foulkes was one of the four Opposition delegates to the Bahamas Independence Constitution Conference in London in 1972.[3]

In 1992, Foulkes became the Bahamas' High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, serving also as ambassador to France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the European Union,[4] before becoming the first Bahamian ambassador to China and Cuba in 1999.[3][4] Foulkes was sworn in as Governor-General of the Bahamas on 14 May 2010,[3] and retired on 7 July 2014.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ Profile of Sir Arthur Foulkes
  2. ^ a b "Bahamas New Governor General Announced". The Bahamas Weekly. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Governor-General appointed to Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Governor General's Youth Awards: Our Patron Archived March 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

External links[]

Government offices
Preceded by Governor General of the Bahamas
2012–2014 		Succeeded by
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