Office of the Attorney-General & Ministry of Legal Affairs (Bahamas)

The Office of the Attorney-General & Ministry of Legal Affairs provides legal advice to the government of the Bahamas in national and international matters.^[1]

List of Attorneys-General of the Colony of the Bahamas

This is an incomplete listing of Attorneys-General before 1973.

William Wylly^[2] (1799-1821)
Bruce Burnside^[3] (1875-1879)^[4]
William Rees-Davies^[5] (c. 1897-1902)
Frederick Chester Wells-Durrant^[6] (1909-1921)
G T Watts (1930^[7]-unknown)
James Henry Garrett (unknown-1935)^[8]
John Bowes Griffin^[9] (1936-1939)
O H Curry (c 1939)^[10]
O L Bancroft (unk - 1945)^[11]
Lionel (L.A.W.) Orr^[12] (1955-1963)^[13]
Kendal Isaacs^[14]^[15]^[16] (1963-1965)^[13]
W. Gordon Bryce QC (c 1967)^[17]
Gerald Collett QC (unk-1973)^[18]

List of Attorneys-General & Ministry of Legal Affairs (Post-Independence in 1973)

Paul Adderley^[19]^[20] (1973-1989) [1st Attorney General - Post Independence]^[21]
Sean G.A. McWeeney (1989-1992)^[21]
Orville Turnquest^[22] (1992-1995)^[21]
Brent Symonette (1995)^[21]
Janet Bostwick (1995-1997)^[21] [1st female]
Tennyson Wells (1997-2001)^[21]
Carl Wilshire Bethel (2001-2002)^[21]
Alfred Sears^[23] (2002-2006)^[21]
Allyson Maynard Gibson (2006-2007)^[21]
Claire Hepburn (2007-2008)^[21]
Michael Barnett (2008-2009)^[21]
John Delaney (2009-2012)^[21]
Allyson Maynard Gibson (2012-2017)^[21]
Carl Wilshire Bethel^[24] (2017–2021)^[21]
Ryan Pinder (2021–present)

References

^ "Overview of the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Attorney General - Attorney General's Office - Government". www.bahamas.gov.bs. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
^ Saunders, Gail (March 8, 2006). "William Wylly and the 'Wylly Affair'". reearth.org. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
^ "Obituary of Sir Bruce Burnside". Nassau, Bahamas. The Nassau Guardian. 1 September 1909. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
^ Thom's Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for the Year 1895 (52nd ed.). Dublin: Alexander Thom & Co. 1895. p. 242. Acting Attorney General in 1865-66-69, and 1875-9;
^ Law Times, and Journal of Property. Office of The Law Times. 1907.
^ Garvey, Marcus; Association, Universal Negro Improvement (1983). The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers, Volume XI: The Caribbean Diaspora, 1910–1920. Duke University Press. ISBN 0822346907.
^ "Colonial Services: West African Transfers and Promotions". The Daily Telegraph. London, England. 10 Feb 1930. p. 3. Mr G. T. Watts, Crown Counsel, Nigeria to be Attorney-General, Bahamas
^ Colonial Office (1936). Annual Report on the Social and Economic Progress of the People of the Bahamas. London, England: H M Stationery Office. p. 23. Retrieved 18 January 2025. The Hon. J. H. Jarrett, K.C., Attorney-General, administered the Government until the Governor's return in October. The Hon. J. H. Jarrett, K.C., Attorney-General, was appointed Colonial Secretary of the Bahamas on 14th August 1935.
^ Bethell, A. Talbot (May 2009). The Early Settlers of the Bahamas and Colonists of North America. Heritage Books. ISBN 9780788412493.
^ "The Dominions Office and Colonial Office List for 1939". Trove Australia. 1939-01-01. p. 406. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
^ Colonial Office (1947). "Annual Report on the Bahama Islands for the Year 1946". HathiTrust. HM Stationery Office, London. p. 10. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
^ The Solicitors' Journal. The Journal. 1955.
^ ^a ^b Colonial Office (1965). Bahamas: Report for the Years 1962 and 1963. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 6. Upon the retirement of Mr. L A W Orr in 1963, Mr. Kendal G. L Isaacs, former Solictor-General, was appointed to be Attorney General.
^ Bahamian Review: The National Monthly News Magazine of the Bahamas. Cartwright Publications. 1980.
^ Gunson, Phil; Chamberlain, Greg; Thompson, Andrew (2015-12-22). The Dictionary of Contemporary Politics of Central America and the Caribbean. Routledge. ISBN 9781317270546.
^ Hughes, Colin A. (1981-01-01). Race and Politics in the Bahamas. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 9780702216077.
^ Bahama Islands: Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Operation of the Business of Casinos in Freeport and in Nassau. London, England: H M Stationery Office. 1967. pp. viii, 139. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
^ Dorsett, Sidney (July 4, 1973). "Leonard Knowles Sworn in as the First Bahamian Chief Justice in 63 Years". Tribune newspaper. p. 1. Retrieved 6 May 2024. Congratulations came from the Attorney-General, Mr. Gerald Collett, QC
^ "Tributes paid to Paul Adderley". Retrieved 2018-06-19.
^ "The Hon. Paul L. Adderley - Government - Details". www.bahamas.gov.bs. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ "Attorneys-General Post Independence". www.bahamas.gov.bs. Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs of the Bahamas.
^ "His Excellency Sir Orville Turnquest - Government - Details". www.bahamas.gov.bs. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
^ "Alfred Sears | Sears and Co". searsandcolaw.com. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
^ "Carl Bethel being considered for the post of Chief Justice – | Bahamaspress.com". bahamaspress.com. Retrieved 2018-06-19.

[1] "Overview of the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Attorney General - Attorney General's Office - Government". www.bahamas.gov.bs. Retrieved 2018-06-19.

[2] Saunders, Gail (March 8, 2006). "William Wylly and the 'Wylly Affair'". reearth.org. Retrieved 2018-06-19.

[obit-3] "Obituary of Sir Bruce Burnside". Nassau, Bahamas. The Nassau Guardian. 1 September 1909. Retrieved 2023-12-16.

[4] Thom's Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for the Year 1895 (52nd ed.). Dublin: Alexander Thom & Co. 1895. p. 242. Acting Attorney General in 1865-66-69, and 1875-9;

[5] Law Times, and Journal of Property. Office of The Law Times. 1907.

[6] Garvey, Marcus; Association, Universal Negro Improvement (1983). The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers, Volume XI: The Caribbean Diaspora, 1910–1920. Duke University Press. ISBN 0822346907.

[7] "Colonial Services: West African Transfers and Promotions". The Daily Telegraph. London, England. 10 Feb 1930. p. 3. Mr G. T. Watts, Crown Counsel, Nigeria to be Attorney-General, Bahamas

[8] Colonial Office (1936). Annual Report on the Social and Economic Progress of the People of the Bahamas. London, England: H M Stationery Office. p. 23. Retrieved 18 January 2025. The Hon. J. H. Jarrett, K.C., Attorney-General, administered the Government until the Governor's return in October. The Hon. J. H. Jarrett, K.C., Attorney-General, was appointed Colonial Secretary of the Bahamas on 14th August 1935.

[9] Bethell, A. Talbot (May 2009). The Early Settlers of the Bahamas and Colonists of North America. Heritage Books. ISBN 9780788412493.

[10] "The Dominions Office and Colonial Office List for 1939". Trove Australia. 1939-01-01. p. 406. Retrieved 2024-05-23.

[11] Colonial Office (1947). "Annual Report on the Bahama Islands for the Year 1946". HathiTrust. HM Stationery Office, London. p. 10. Retrieved 2024-12-26.

[12] The Solicitors' Journal. The Journal. 1955.

[:0-13] Colonial Office (1965). Bahamas: Report for the Years 1962 and 1963. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 6. Upon the retirement of Mr. L A W Orr in 1963, Mr. Kendal G. L Isaacs, former Solictor-General, was appointed to be Attorney General.

[14] Bahamian Review: The National Monthly News Magazine of the Bahamas. Cartwright Publications. 1980.

[15] Gunson, Phil; Chamberlain, Greg; Thompson, Andrew (2015-12-22). The Dictionary of Contemporary Politics of Central America and the Caribbean. Routledge. ISBN 9781317270546.

[16] Hughes, Colin A. (1981-01-01). Race and Politics in the Bahamas. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 9780702216077.

[17] Bahama Islands: Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Operation of the Business of Casinos in Freeport and in Nassau. London, England: H M Stationery Office. 1967. pp. viii, 139. Retrieved 18 January 2025.

[18] Dorsett, Sidney (July 4, 1973). "Leonard Knowles Sworn in as the First Bahamian Chief Justice in 63 Years". Tribune newspaper. p. 1. Retrieved 6 May 2024. Congratulations came from the Attorney-General, Mr. Gerald Collett, QC

[19] "Tributes paid to Paul Adderley". Retrieved 2018-06-19.

[20] "The Hon. Paul L. Adderley - Government - Details". www.bahamas.gov.bs. Retrieved 2018-06-19.

[histattgen-21] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ "Attorneys-General Post Independence". www.bahamas.gov.bs. Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs of the Bahamas.

[22] "His Excellency Sir Orville Turnquest - Government - Details". www.bahamas.gov.bs. Retrieved 2018-06-19.

[23] "Alfred Sears | Sears and Co". searsandcolaw.com. Retrieved 2018-06-19.

[24] "Carl Bethel being considered for the post of Chief Justice – | Bahamaspress.com". bahamaspress.com. Retrieved 2018-06-19.

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List of Attorneys-General of the Colony of the Bahamas

List of Attorneys-General & Ministry of Legal Affairs (Post-Independence in 1973)

See also

References