By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PETER Graham, a former parliamentarian and the founding partner of Graham Thompson, died suddenly Wednesday night having planned to fly with friends on Thursday morning to his special island retreat - Hog Cay just off Long Island.

It is said that he started to have difficulty breathing just before his death. He was 92.

Mr Graham was remembered for his decency and impeccable reputation by Attorney General Carl Bethel, Official Opposition Leader Philip "Brave" Davis and the Bahamas Bar Association. He founded Graham Thompson, one of the largest firms in the country in 1950 and played a role in its growth for over 70 years.

Queen Elizabeth II appointed him Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1997. The honour is bestowed upon persons who have rendered important services to the commonwealth of nations.

Mr Graham was the first minister of labour and housing in the first Bahamian Cabinet from 1964 to 1967. He was the member of Parliament for Long Island from 1956 to 1972.

In a statement yesterday, his firm said his death was a great shock because he had been in good health, "still coming into the office and practising law as indeed he had done continuously for the past 70 years". He was the most senior member of the Bahamas Bar.

"Mr Graham was a man of incredible decency and personal integrity," the statement said. "He was extremely kind and thoughtful, and generous to a fault. His humility, his quiet, low-key manner and his peaceful demeanour were especially notable aspects of his personality. He was the consummate diplomat, working quietly behind the scenes to resolve conflicts and to build consensus and unifying purpose.

"Mr Graham was justifiably proud of the fact that he had built a law firm that encapsulated the political, racial and social spectrum of The Bahamas, and that he had been among the first to do so in our nation's history.

"He was also deeply committed to the idea that members of the firm should seek to give back to their country in the form of political, public or judicial service, as indeed he himself had done in the political arena. This was central to the ethos of the firm and something that he always encouraged and supported, irrespective of one's party affiliation," said the firm's statement.

"Mr Graham enjoyed practising law and was invariably the first person in the office throughout his career right up to and including yesterday (Wednesday). He was a conveyancing and private client specialist with a clientele of the highest quality from around the world and here in The Bahamas.

"We all had a great personal fondness for Peter Graham. He was a wonderful man. We will miss him enormously. We extend our deepest condolences to Peter's wife, Irene, and his children and grandchildren," said his staff.

Attorney General Carl Bethel said Mr Graham was a "Bahamian patriot and leader in the development of the legal profession in the modern Bahamas."

"After the attainment of Majority Rule, he reshaped his law firm and built it to reflect the diversity and talent which emerged with the attainment of universal political and social equality," he said.

"He was a most congenial and friendly person, avuncular and easy of address. He was a very competent attorney of great standing amongst his peers. Through the great law firm which he inspired and developed he has made an indelible impression upon the development of the legal profession and jurisprudence in the Bahamas. He will be sorely missed."

Mr Davis said Mr Graham was a "fine human being - gentle and kind who readily embraced the inevitable change to Majority Rule".

He said: "(He did) this not merely by paying lip service to the change but through his deeds and actions. The meaningful integration of his law firm is a true testament to the fact. (He was) a gentleman and scholar, a true Bahamian patriot."

In a statement to The Tribune, Bahamas Bar Association President Kahlil Parker said Mr Graham exemplified seniority at the Bar.

"He has served his country, community, and profession with distinction. Mr Graham was a mentor to many attorneys, having had a profound impact on their legal careers. He engaged with colleagues with a quiet dignity and great humility. On behalf of the members and staff of The Bahamas Bar Association I extend condolences to his family, friends, and firm on his passing," he said.

In 2018, Graham Thompson senior partner Sean McWeeney, QC, interviewed Mr Graham, with excerpts of the interview published on the law firm's website.

Mr Graham said he was the 25th lawyer called to the Bahamas Bar.

"I once was paid a complement by another lawyer that one of my abilities was to choose good associates," he said.

"I don't accept that. I'm just very lucky in the people that joined the firm. I started the firm, full stop, the firm was built by yourself and others and we are today what we are because of the group," said Mr Graham at the time of the interview.

Mr Graham recalled his impression of Long Island after he was elected to the constituency as a 29-year-old. He said the destitute condition of the island contributed to his view that the firm should play a role in nation building.

He attended Queen's College and obtained his LLB from London University in the United Kingdom. He was called to the English Bar through Lincoln's Inn and to the Bahamas Bar on his return to The Bahamas.

In The Tribune's Weekend edition of May 25, 2018, Sir Christopher Ondaatje interviewed Mr Graham about his love for Hog Cay and the rare West Indian whistling ducks that have made his island their home.

Mr Graham told Mr Ondaatje at the end of the interview: "I suppose my only claim to fame is that I have nurtured this flock of whistling ducks. There are very specific instructions -- to my family --and they have agreed - that they will continue looking after these wonderful birds. Even if the island is sold this responsibility has to be passed on to the new owners. It is in my will."