Sir Clifford Darling (6 February 1922 – 27 December 2011) was the fifth

governor-general of the Bahamas Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...

from 2 January 1992 until his retirement on 2 January 1995.

Early life and education

Clifford Darling was born on 6 February 1922, on

Acklins Island Acklins is an island and Districts of the Bahamas, district of the Bahamas. It is one of a group of islands arranged along a large, shallow lagoon called the Bight of Acklins, of which the largest are Crooked Island, Bahamas, Crooked Island () ...

to Charles and Aremilia Darling, He attended Acklins Public School and schools in

New Providence New Providence is the most populous island in The Bahamas, containing more than 70% of the total population. On the eastern side of the island is the national capital, national capital city of Nassau, Bahamas, Nassau; it had a population of 246 ...

. Darling trained as an electrician and a barber. He migrated to Nassau before going on the Contract.

Trade unionist

Darling returned to Nassau, got a job as a taxicab driver, and became an influential labor leader, serving as general secretary and president of the Bahamas Taxicab Union. In the 1950s, Darling led successful negotiations for improved conditions for taxi drivers, culminating in the pivotal 1958 general strike.

Political career

Darling, a member of the

Progressive Liberal Party The Progressive Liberal Party (abbreviated PLP) is a populist and social liberal party in the Bahamas. Philip Davis is the leader of the party. History The PLP was founded in 1953 by William Cartwright, Cyril Stevenson, and Henry Milton ...

, served as a Senator from 1964 to 1967. He was elected as a Member of Parliament in 1967 for the Engleston constituency. He served as Deputy Speaker of the

House of Assembly House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level. Historically, in British Crown colonies as the colony gained more internal responsible g ...

from 1967 to 1969, Minister of State in 1969, Minister of Labour and Welfare in 1971 and Minister of Labour and National Insurance from 1974 to 1977, overseeing the introduction of the National Insurance programme in 1974. Darling was Speaker of the House of Assembly from 1977 until November 1991, when he resigned in anticipation of being appointed Governor-General. He was appointed Governor-General in 1992. Darling served as the fourth Governor-General of an independent Bahamas until retiring in 1995.

Awards and honours

In 1977, Darling was knighted by the Queen. In 1994, he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order.

Death

He died on 27 December 2011 at the Princess Margaret Hospital after a long illness."Sir Clifford Darling, The Bahamas 4th Governor General passes at 89"
''The Bahamas Weekly'', 27 December 2011

References

External links

1922 births 2011 deaths Knights Bachelor Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Governors-general of the Bahamas Speakers of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas Members of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas Members of the Senate of the Bahamas Taxi drivers People from Acklins Labour ministers of the Bahamas Progressive Liberal Party politicians {{Bahamas-politician-stub