A tribute to Paul Adderley
Dear Editor,
The Honorable Paul Lawrence Adderley, was one of the two children of A.F. Adderley, a well-known and highly esteemed Bahamian lawyer. Adderley was born in 1928, a time when there was not a large cadre of Bahamian professionals and few black Bahamian lawyers. Especially being a graduate of Cambridge University and a U.K. trained barrister, he could have chosen to dedicate his life to private practice and to making a lot of money. Indeed, had he chosen the private practice life, his law firm would probably today have been one of the leading law firms in The Bahamas, if not the leading law firm in The Bahamas.
Adderley, a committed Anglican and a man of deep faith, chose instead the path of national service; one which ultimately would assure that his labor would not be in vain.
Recognizing that politics is a noble profession and a significant means by which there can be fundamental transformation of a society for the benefit of all, he joined the movement to universal suffrage, self-government, majority rule and independence. He was the longest serving attorney general in The Bahamas, as well as serving in other critical Cabinet portfolios and as acting governor general. His stellar tenure as attorney general has not been forgotten.
He was at the genesis of the first “third political party”, the National Democratic Party. He was at the vanguard of the fight for a thriving democracy in The Bahamas. Certainly, history will record Adderley as one of The Bahamas’ founding fathers and the nation will forever be grateful for his tremendous sacrifices.
I celebrate and am thankful for the living example of Adderley’s commitment to family, his unquenchable thirst for knowledge, his spirit of excellence, his loyalty to friends and his work to accomplish his vision of The Bahamas as a home of and for the brightest and the best. He believed that The Bahamas is the “best little country in the world”.
Deepest sympathy and prayers are extended to his wife, Lillith Adderley, and his daughters, Catherine, Roseanne and Paula who have lost a husband and father. The Bahamas has lost one of its brightest and best. May his soul rest in peace.
– Allyson Maynard-Gibson, attorney general
Sep 20, 2012
