Arthur Foulkes

Sir Arthur Alexander Foulkes, ON, GCMG (born 11 May 1928)[2] is a politician who was the ninth governor-general of the Bahamas from 2012 to 2014.[3]

His Excellency[1] The Most Honourable Sir
Arthur Foulkes
ON, GCMG
Foulkes c. 2000
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 byMarguerite Pindling
Personal details
Born
Arthur Alexander Foulkes

(1928-05-11) 11 May 1928
Matthew Town, Inagua, The Bahamas
Political partyProgressive Liberal Party (before 1971)
Free National Movement (1971–present)
SpouseJoan Eleanor Foulkes

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.[4] 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.[4]

Early life

Foulkes, a native of the Bahamas, was born on the island of Inagua in Matthew Town on 11 May 1928.[5] His parents were Dr. William and Mrs. Julie Foulkes (née Maisonneuve).[5] Foulkes is married to the former Joan Eleanor Bullard of Nassau.[5]

Career
Viceregal styles of
Sir Arthur Foulkes
(2012–2014)
Reference styleHis Excellency
Spoken styleYour Excellency

Foulkes started his working life as a newspaper linotype operator, first at the nation's daily newspaper of record since 1844, Nassau Guardian, then at the competing Tribune newspaper.[5] He became a reporter for Tribune's editor Sir Étienne Dupuch, rising to become News Editor of Tribune.[5] 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.[5]

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.[4] He was one of the founders of the Free National Movement in 1971.[4] He was appointed to the Senate in 1972 and 1977, and re-elected to the House of Assembly in 1982.[4] In 1972, Foulkes was one of the four Opposition delegates to the Bahamas Independence Constitution Conference in London in 1972.[4]

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,[5] before becoming the first Bahamian ambassador to China and Cuba in 1999.[4][5] Foulkes was sworn in as Governor-General of the Bahamas on 14 May 2010,[4] and retired on 7 July 2014.[3]

Honours and awards

Foulkes was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (KCMG) in 2001; he was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the same Order (GCMG) in 2011.[4] In 2018, he was invested with the Order of the Nation (ON) by the 10th Governor General of the Bahamas, Marguerite Pindling.[6]


References
  1. His Excellency Sir Arthur Foulkes - official website of the Government of The Bahamas
  2. Profile of Sir Arthur Foulkes
  3. "Bahamas New Governor General Announced". The Bahamas Weekly. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  4. Governor-General appointed to Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George
  5. Governor General's Youth Awards: Our Patron Archived March 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  6. [https://issuu.com/kbeneby/docs/biography_s_of_2019_features.docx Biographies of 2019 Bahamian Exchange Features] - website of electronic publishing platform issuu
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