Roland Theodore Symonette
| Sir Roland Symonette | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 1st Premier of the Bahamas | |
|
In office 7 January 1964 – 16 January 1967 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
16 December 1898 Current, Eleuthera |
| Died | 13 March 1980 (aged 81) |
| Spouse(s) |
Nellie Symonette Thelma Bell Clepper Margaret Frances |
| Relations |
Edwin Symonette (father) Lavania Weech (mother) |
| Children |
Basil Harcourt Symonette Robert Symonette Zelda Symonette Margaret Symonette Roland Craig Symonette Brent Symonette |
Sir Roland Theodore Symonette (16 December 1898 – 13 March 1980) achieved high office as a Bahamian political figure. He was leader of the United Bahamian Party (UBP), which represented the interests of the white oligarchy known as the "Bay Street Boys" and was the ruling party between 1958 and 1967.[1] When the country achieved self-government in 1964 Symonette was the first premier.
Biography
Roland "Pop" Symonette was one of the many children of Methodist minister Edwin Symonette and his wife Lavania (née Weech) on the small island settlement of Current, Eleuthera.
Although he had only six years of formal education, Symonette became one of the wealthiest men of his generation. An autodidact and lifelong advocate of education, he was a school teacher early in his career, but, during Prohibition, Symonette "ran" rum to the United States. With the profits from rum-running, he invested in real estate, liquor stores and eventually, a shipyard. The Symonette family's holdings have never been publicly confirmed, but public speculation has placed it between $700 million and $2.5 billion USD.
In 1925, Symonette campaigned successfully for a seat in the Bahamas' House of Assembly. He served in the House, representing the Shirlea district until his retirement in 1977. His 52 years as a Member of Parliament is the longest record of service in the House of Assembly.
Symonette served as the head of government of the Bahama Islands from 1955 to 1964 and in 1964, when the country achieved internal self-government, he became the first Premier of the Bahama Islands. In 1959, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
The 1967 British Royal Commission of Inquiry reported that Symonette, along with other high Bahamian officials, received large payments from the U.S. casino interests operating in the islands. (See article on Prime Minister Lynden Pindling, who succeeded Symonette in 1967, and article on Sir Stafford Sands.)
Family life
Symonette was married three times. By his first wife Nellie, Symonette had one son, Basil Harcourt. By his second wife, the former Thelma Bell Clepper of Andalusia, Alabama, Symonette had a one son, Robert "Bobby", and one daughter, Zelda. In the late 1940s, Symonette married Canadian Margaret Frances, the union producing one daughter, Margaret, who died in infancy, and two sons, Roland Craig and Brent. Symonette's son Bobby served as Speaker of the House of Assembly. His youngest son Brent Symonette was the Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Free National Movement and Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Ingraham led government.
Sir Roland Symonette died on 13 March 1980 at his home in Nassau; his widow, Lady Margaret Symonette died 24 years later in 2004.
Legacy
Symonette's portrait appears on the Bahamian $50 note. A community park in the settlement of Current, Eleuthera, Bahamas, just feet from his birthplace, was named after him on what would have been his 111th birthday, 16 December 2009.
See also
- "A Little Bit of Independent", Time Magazine, 24 January 1964.
- "Consultant's Paradise Lost", Time Magazine, 8 September 1967.
- "Bad News for the Bay Street Boys", Time Magazine, 20 January 1967.
References
- ↑ Nohlen, D. (2005), Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p. 73. ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6