The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Governor General Sir Clifford Darling will be laid to rest on Thursday.

The state funeral will take place at the Zion Baptist Church, on East and Shirley streets, at 11am. His body will be interred at the Western Cemetery.

According to the Cabinet Office, the fourth Bahamian-born governor's body will lie in the state foyer of the House of Parliament from today at 2.30pm to sunset tomorrow.

Sir Clifford, described as one of the major nation builders of the modern Bahamas, died in the Princess Margaret Hospital at 5am on Tuesday, December 27, after battling a long illness.

He was sworn in at Government House on January 2, 1992, by Chief Justice Joaquim Gonsalves-Sabola, succeeding Sir Henry Taylor, who retired the previous day.

A former taxicab driver, he served as general secretary of The Bahamas Taxicab Union for eight years and as president for ten.

In the early 1950s, Sir Clifford bargained with hotels for better treatment for taxi drivers. In 1957, as president, Sir Clifford blockaded and closed the airport. A general strike followed in January, 1958. With Sir Clifford's help, an agreement among hotels, tour services and taxicab operators was reached.

Sir Clifford served as a PLP senator from January 1964 to January 1967. He then served as a Englerston MP from January 1967 to October 1969, when he was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister of State.

In November 1971, he was named Minister of Labour and National Insurance. He was responsible for the introduction of the National Insurance programme on October 7, 1974.

Sir Clifford was elected Speaker of the House in 1977 and knighted by the Queen the same year. He was a Stalwart Councilor, the highest honour that can be bestowed on a member of the Progressive Liberal Party.

Sir Clifford is survived by his second wife, Lady Ingrid Darling, and seven children, Clifford Darling Jr., Andrea Darling-Thompson, Sharlene Hanna, Theresa McPhee, Rushena Darling, Lakreisha Darling and Charles Darling.