Sir Geoffrey Adams Dinwiddie Johnstone, (19 September 1927 – 4 August 2017)
was a
Bahamian politician and lawyer.
Early life and education
Johnstone was born in Nassau, Bahamas, on 19 September 1927, the eldest son of the late Bruce Eric Johnstone and Wilhelmina Helena Aline Johnstone née Kemp.
He graduated from
Queen's College secondary school, Nassau, Bahamas in September 1945
and began working an insurance agent for the
British American Insurance Company.
In 1947, he enrolled in the
Inns of Court School of Law
The City Law School is a law school in London, England, and it is one of the six schools of City, University of London. The law school traces its origins to the Inns of Court School of Law (ICSL), which was founded in 1852. The ICSL became par ...
and was
called to the Bar
The call to the bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received "call to ...
of England and Wales at the
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court entitled to Call to the bar, call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple (with whi ...
in June 1950.
He was called to the Bahamas Bar in August 1950.
Law career
In August 1950, Johnstone joined the firm of
Higgs & Johnson and was admitted to partnership in 1952.
He became senior partner in 1968
and served in that capacity until his retirement
in December 1998.
He served as president of the
Bahamas Bar Association
The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of its population. It ...
from June 1973
to June 1975 and as vice president from June 1975 to June 1976.
Political career
He took an early interest in politics after his return from his studies abroad. He was elected to 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 ...
for the Eastern District of
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 ...
in November 1962
and served that constituency until January 1967 when he was returned as the Member for the Montagu Constituency where he served until September 1972.
He served in the
United Bahamian Party
The United Bahamian Party (UBP) was a major political party in the Bahamas in the 1950s and 1960s. Representing the interests of the white oligarchy known as the Bay Street Boys, including Stafford Sands, it was the ruling party between 1958 and ...
Cabinet as Minister of Road Traffic and Records from January 1964 to January 1967.
In February 1970, he was appointed
leader of the opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the Opposition (parliamentary), largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the ...
and served in that office until July 1971.
He served as chairman of the
Hotel Corporation of the Bahamas from October 1992 to December 1994, during which period the corporation was very involved in the privatization of its hotels.
He has also served as deputy to the
governor general of the Bahamas
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' may ...
on various occasions.
In July 1995, he was appointed non-resident ambassador of the Bahamas to Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.
Honours
Johnstone was appointed a Companion of the Most Distinguished
Order of St. Michael and St. George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George I ...
(CMG) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 31 December 1993 in the Queen's New Years Honours for 1994.
He was made Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished
Order of St. Michael and St. George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George I ...
(KCMG) on 31 December 2001 in the Queen's New Years Honours for 2002.
Personal
Johnstone's hobbies included boating, fishing and shooting.
He served as an elder of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Kirk from April 1963 until his death. In November 2010. At the celebration of the Kirk's 200th anniversary, he received an achievement award for outstanding service to the Kirk and its mission.
Sir Geoffrey died on 4 August 2017.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnstone, Geoffrey Adams Dinwiddie
Government ministers of the Bahamas
2017 deaths
1927 births
Bahamian Presbyterians
United Bahamian Party politicians
Ambassadors of the Bahamas to Chile
Ambassadors of the Bahamas to Argentina
Ambassadors of the Bahamas to Uruguay
People from Nassau, Bahamas
Members of the Middle Temple
Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
20th-century Bahamian lawyers
Leaders of the opposition (Bahamas)