The Bahamas has lost yet another great son of the soil. Mr. Warren J. Levarity, a former member of both chambers of the House has passed at the age of 82. Even though he was blessed with a long and productive life and fought the good fight, the PLP family still mourns his passing.

Warren James Levarity was born in West End, Grand Bahama on 25 June, 1932 to Mr. and Mrs. Garnet Levarity. After moving to New Providence at a young age, he attended the Government High School. He would later matriculate the Shaw Business School in Toronto, Canada where he would become a trained Accountant.

In a landmark bye-election in 1959, Mr. Levarity became the PLP representative in the House of Assembly for the constituency of Grand Bahama and Bimini. He would later represent West End and Bimini before serving in the Senate after the June 10, 1982 general elections.

Along with his close colleagues Sir Arthur Foulkes and the late Jeffrey Thompson, Mr. Levarity anchored the National Committee for Positive Action (NCPA) of the Progressive Liberal Party, the activist group of men who were central to ushering the Bahamas to Majority Rule.

A second generation politician noted for his acumen as a political strategist, Mr. Levarity played a key role in the events that culminated in that historic political and social revolution in 1967. In addition, Mr. Levarity managed the business affairs of the Bahamian Times, the newspaper designed by the NCPA to educate the Bahamian people about the need for social change.

It is noteworthy that Mr. Levarity dominated the political scene on the island of Grand Bahama throughout the 1960’s. This was further embellished by the towering figure of his father, former Senator Garnet Levarity.

Mr. Levarity was one of the “Dissident Eight” that left the Progressive Liberal Party in 1970 and ultimately formed the Free National Movement in 1972 where he would unsuccessfully contest both the 1972 and 1977 general elections with his new and fledging party.

In December 2010 Mr. Levarity was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II the Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) for his social activism and contribution to the political development of The Bahamas.

Mr. Levarity, along with the Hon. A. D. Hanna, was one of the last remaining members of the Majority Rule cabinet where Levarity served as the Minister for the Out Islands.

On behalf of the Progressive Liberal Party, on my own behalf and that of my family, I express sincere condolences to his dear wife Vera and their four children during their time of loss. God’s grace is always sufficient.