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Sir
Clifford had served as Speaker of the House of Assembly from 1977
until November 13, 1991, when he resigned.
A
former Progressive Liberal Party Member of Parliament for Englerston,
Sir Clifford was born on February 6, 1922, at Acklins Island to
Charles and Aremilia Darling. He attended the Acklins Public School
and public schools in New Providence.
The
former taxicab driver 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. The hotels had their own buses to transport visitors
to and from the new Nassau International Airport and other destinations.
As a result, many taxi drivers had no passengers, except residents
to take from the airport.
The
problem reached a boiling point November 1957, when the cab union,
with Sir Clifford as President, 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 was an early member of the PLP. He served as a senator
from January 1964 to January 1967, when, in a general election,
he was elected to the House of Assembly for the Englerston constituency.
He served 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 re-elected to the
House for the Englerston constituency in the 1977 general election
and was elected Speaker of the House. He was also knighted by the
Queen the same year.
In
the general elections of 1982 and 1987 Sir Clifford was re-elected
as the Member of Parliament for the Englerston constituency and
re-elected as Speaker. He is a Stalwart Councillor, the highest
honour that can be bestowed on a member of the Progressive Liberal
Party.
Sir
Clifford is married to the former Ingrid Smith.
He
is a member of Zion Baptist Church, of the Masonic Prince Hall Lodge
and of the Improved Benevolent Protective Order of Elks in the World.
Courtesy of The Bahamas Information Services (Reference Biography
Service) January 1992
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