Page 69 - The British Big Four

Key Historical Dates and Events

1955 Signing of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, which paved the way to establishment of Freeport/Lucaya.
1962 Bahamian women are permitted to vote.
1964 The Bahamas gains internal self-rule as Sir Roland Symonette is named Premier.
1967 The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) wins the majority of House of Assembly seats as Lynden O. Pindling
became the new Premier.
1969 The Bahamian Constitution is revised. The Colony of the Bahama Islands became the Commonwealth of the
Bahamas, and the Premier becomes the Prime Minister.
1973 The Bahama Islands gain independence from Great Britain, and became a sovereign nation on July 10, ending
325 years of British rule.
1983 Lynden O. Pindling is knighted by her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II , Bahamas head of state.
1990 The $300-million Crystal Palace Resort and Casino, Cable Beach opens.
1992 The Free National Movement (FNM) was voted in as the new government August 19, ending the Progressive
Liberal Party (PLP)’s 25-year rule. The Hubert A. Ingraham became Prime Minister. Bahamian Frank Rutherford
wins a bronze medal at the Olympics for the triple jump. The Bahamas celebrates the 500th anniversary of the
landing of Christopher Columbus at San Salvador.