We are pleased to announce that Sir Arthur Foulkes accepted the invitation to be the GGYA Patron.

Biographical Profile - Arthur A. Foulkes KCMG

Arthur Alexander Foulkes was born in Mathew Town, Inagua on the 11th of May 1928. He is the son of the late Dr. William A. Foulkes and Mrs. Julie Foulkes nee Maisonneuve.

He was educated at public schools in Mathew Town and in Nassau and first worked at The Nassau Guardian as a linotype operator and proof-reader.  He joined The Tribune as a linotype operator in 1948 and took up journalism under the tutelage of Editor and Publisher Sir Etienne Dupuch who made him a reporter and later appointed him News Editor of The Tribune.

Sir Arthur was founding editor of Bahamian Times, official organ of the Progressive Liberal Party from 1962 to 1967.  This newspaper played a pivotal role in the campaign for majority rule which was achieved in the general elections of 10 January 1967.

Later, he was a columnist for The Guardian and The Tribune and   from 2002 to 2007 resumed his popular column, To The Point, in The Tribune.

In 1992 Sir Arthur entered the diplomatic service of The Bahamas as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (residing in London), Ambassador to France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the European Union. 

In 1999 he was appointed the first Bahamas Ambassador to the People's Republic of China and Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba.  Both these posts were non-resident.  He is a founding member of the China Bahamas Friendship Association.

He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George by Queen Elizabeth in the 2001 New Year's honours list.

Sir Arthur is fond of the arts and likes classical and jazz music.  He has always taken a special interest in ecology and was an early commentator on environmental issues in The Bahamas. 

His wife, Lady Foulkes, is the former Joan Eleanor Bullard of Nassau.

• This biographical profile has been adapted from an article on "The Eleutheran" website.