The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

POLITICIANS, colleagues, family, and friends gathered yesterday at the House of Assembly to pay their respects to Philip Galanis, whose body lay in state ahead of his funeral this morning.

Mr Galanis, who passed away on October 11 at the age of 70, was a prominent accountant, businessman, senator, and former parliamentarian.

He made significant contributions to public service and the accounting field, founding HLB Galanis & Co and serving as managing partner at Ernst & Young in The Bahamas.

Mr Galanis served in Parliament and the Senate for 15 years, with one term in the House of Assembly and two in the Senate. He was also known for his weekly column, Consider This, in The Nassau Guardian, where he addressed national issues. His book, All Things Considered, compiles these articles, showcasing his commitment to public discourse.

Reflecting on his legacy, former Court of Appeal president Sir Michael Barnett told reporters yesterday: “I have known him since high school. We were both at St Augustine’s together, and we both worked out of the same premises for many years. I am the godfather to his daughter Zoe, so it was a shock, a disappointment, but we continue to pray and give thanks that he lived a full life, and we are confident that our ever-loving and ever-merciful God will give him eternal rest.”

Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard described Mr Galanis’s passing as a “huge loss” for the country.

“Phil Galanis, though he supported the Progressive Liberal Party, is loved on all sides of the political divide because of the way in which he contributed to national development and the way he did politics,” Mr Pintard said. 

“He was not a tribalistic person. Whether on a personal level or in his national discourse, he paid tribute to Bahamian excellence. Even if you were a member of the opposition, he had this uncanny way of identifying a statement you made or an action you took that made sense for the Bahamian people.”

Among those who also paid their respects yesterday were Governor General Dame Cynthia “Mother” Pratt, Sir Ian Winder, Housing Minister Keith Bell, and Health Minister Michael Darville.

A state-recognised funeral service will be held today at St Francis Xavier Cathedral.