The Free National Movement joins the country in mourning the passing of former Member
of Parliament and Senator Mr. Philip Galanis, one of the nation’s finest sons
A 1971 graduate of St. Augustine’s College where he served as Head Boy, Phil attended
St. John’s University in Collegeville Minnesota and Rutgers University in New Jersey. He
qualified as a CPA and then for several years led the international accounting firm Ernst
& Young before building his own firm, HLB Galanis.
Always committed to nation building and community service he once offered for the
leadership of the Progressive Liberal Party. While he was not successful in that attempt,
Phil played a pivotal role in the party as a part of the new generation of leaders
contributing greatly to the organization’s success. He eventually served as a member of
parliament for the Englerston Constituency and as a Senator for two terms.
Phil’s departure from pursuing frontline politics gave birth to a new role as a political
strategist and later as a commentator on National issues through his weekly column
“Consider This”. He was a compelling voice, a brilliant mind, unafraid to speak truth to
power in and out of his party. His analysis was not mean spirited and it was not uncommon
for him to highlight or even applaud initiatives or ideas of members of our team.
Phil loved The Bahamas and believed in our potential to be a model nation and that it
takes all sides to make such an aspiration possible.
At his passing, Phil was serving as Chairman of The Bahamas Trade Commission, the
last in a long list of NGOs he headed in his efforts at helping to create a country that he
believed we deserved.
He did not restrict his service to The Bahamas, he was a well-respected and prominent
member of the Board of Trustees of his alma mater, St. John’s University.
He was the author of two books in addition to his column Consider This appeared weekly
in the Nassau Guardian.
My wife Berlice, who benefitted from his wife’s legal training and I, like thousands of
leaders and supporters of the FNM are deeply shocked and saddened by his sudden
passing.
We pray for his family especially his wife Tonya and his daughter Zoe as they grieve and
seek to cope with so great a loss.
Michael C. Pintard
Leader
Free National Movement