Our People: Hubert Ingraham

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Rt. Hon. Hubert Alexander Ingraham was a political leader who served three terms as prime minister from 1992 to 2002 and again from 2007 to 2012.

He was the first person to defeat Sir Lynden Pindling after his 25 year reign as leader of an independent Bahamas.

Ingraham was born in Pineridge, Grand Bahama, on August 4, 1947. But Ingraham grew up in Abaco where he attended Cooper’s Town Public School. Later, enrolled in Southern Senior School and Government High School Evening Institute in Nassau.

Ingraham entered private practice and became a senior partner in the firm Christie, Ingraham & Co. As an active member and officer in the Nassau and Bahamas Jaycees, he entered front-line politics in 1975 when he was elected to the national general council of the Progressive Liberal Party.

He became party chairman in 1976 and was elected to the House of Assembly in 1977 as the representative for his hometown coopers town constituency. He was re-elected on six consecutive terms as representative.

Among his many accomplishments he served as a member of the house standing committee on privilege and public accounts, as chairman of a select committee on influence peddling and political contributions, and as chairman of The Bahamas Mortgage Corporation.

He has also served as a member of the air transport licensing authority, chairman of the real property tax tribunal and in 1982, was appointed minister of housing and national insurance for 2 years.

During his time in the PLP, Ingraham publicly criticized the then government over claims of corruption actions and was subsequently dismissed from cabinet in 1984 and was ultimately expelled from the PLP in 1986.

Strong personal political support in his constituency, though, permitted him to continue to speak out against corruption in the government and to call for radical changes in the political culture. He joined the then-official opposition party, Free National Movement, in 1990.

In may of the same year he was elected leader and his outspoken character would define his legacy in the FNM.

Ingraham made his beliefs known, calling for an honest, open, transparent, and accountable government which energized various faction and in 1990 helped his party secure victory in the by-election in the Marco City Constituency in Grand Bahama.

In his first term as prime minister, in 1992, he deliberately reduced the size of the government and promoted fresh private investment. His government which reigned for two consecutive terms from 1992-2002 has been credited with the revitalization of the Bahamian economy, improving the tourism sector, spurring an increase in international banking and trust business over the years.

In 1993, he was made a member of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council. On March 03, 2000, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Buckingham, England.

Towards the end of his political career, Ingraham led the FNM to it third victory in 2007, but would lose power in the 2012 general election. Even though he won his seat, on July 19th that year, Ingraham resigned, ending his 35-year career in front-line politics.