#Nassau, June 29, 2019 – Bahamas – Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis in welcoming the country’s 11th Governor General extolled his virtues as a public servant, in the private sector, on the diplomatic stage and as a humanitarian.
The Hon. Cornelius Alvin Smith,
82, was officially sworn in as Governor General of the Commonwealth of The
Bahamas during a ceremony in Rawson Square on Friday, June 28, 2019.
This came on the heels of a
Farewell Salute to Her Excellency the Most Hon. Dame Marguerite Pindling as
Governor General.
The occasion was abuzz with
pomp and pageantry as senior officials, well-wishers and family members
witnessed the changing of the guard and an ushering in of a new chapter in
Bahamian history.
In his remarks, the Prime
Minister pointed out the attributes of His Excellency and expressed confidence
in his ability as Head of State.
“Given your long and
distinguished public career, your diplomatic and community service and your
love of country, it was my happy task to recommend to Her Majesty, Your Excellency’s appointment as Governor General,” the Prime
Minister said.
He added: “We look forward to
your tenure and the role you will play in fostering national unity and a
greater commitment to community service. We are confident that Your Excellency
will represent our country with distinction at home and abroad.”
As the representative of the
Head of State, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Governor General serves as a
symbol of national unity and plays an essential constitutional role. “Today,
therefore, in the spirit of love and unity, we celebrate our enduring democratic
heritage and Your Excellency’s appointment by Her Majesty” as the eleventh
Governor General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the Prime Minister said.
His Excellency was born at Snow
Hill, Long Island, where he attended primary school at Glinton’s Public All
Age-School. Over the many years he was an educator, customs revenue officer,
served in The Cabinet and was regarded as a political strategist, having
entered front line politics in the early 1970s and is a founding member of the Free National Movement.
“Your Excellency, your journey
from Snow Hill, Long Island, to Mount Fitzwilliam mirrors our national journey,
inclusive of the attainment of Majority Rule and Independence by a proud
sovereign nation.
“Your education included training
at the Bahamas Teacher’s Training College and a Master of
Business Administration degree from the University of Miami in the United
States of America,” the Prime Minister said.
He added though, that the
essential and noble work of government and politics are often reflexively
criticized by some. “Despite
these criticisms, you passionately believe in the need for good men and women
to serve in political and public life,” the Prime Minister said. “You
appreciated that majority rule, independence, national development and the
promotion of a just and equal society required the active and full
participation of citizens on the frontlines of politics and in the halls of
government.”
From 2007 to 2012, His
Excellency served as Ambassador to the United States of America. He also served
as the Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS)
and as Non-Resident Ambassador to Mexico, Malaysia and Columbia. And
in 2017, he was appointed as Non-Resident Ambassador to six Central American
countries: Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and, Nicaragua.
“Your Excellency, you have
spoken often of your commitment to and the importance of volunteerism and
community service in national development.
“You have demonstrated your
commitment to community service for more than half a century,” the Prime
Minister said.
By Lindsay Thompson
Photo Caption: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis.
(BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson)