The FNM Senators
Elma “Ellie” Campbell, the daughter of the late Percy Campbell and Beryl Campbell, was born at Nassau, March 22, 1955. A divorcee, she is the mother of two adult children and three adopted grandchildren.
Upon completing high school at St. Anne’s, Fox Hill, and St. Elphin’s in England, she attended the University of Grenoble in France, where she obtained degrees in Modern Languages and Linguistics in 1975.
Ms Campbell also holds a Master of Science degree in Education from the University of Miami.
She began her teaching career at the Government High School in 1975, and also taught at C. C. Sweeting Senior High, St. Anne’s and the Boys Industrial School.
She articled as a law clerk at the Chambers of Higgs and Johnson, Nassau, and has headed her own law firm since 1985.
She also served as a stipendiary and circuit magistrate and as a part-time lecturer in Banking Law at the College of The Bahamas.
She was a founding member of Holy Cross Anglican Church and served as a member of the vestry of Epiphany Anglican Church.
Ms. Campbell has been involved in the Bahamas Union of Teachers, the Bahamas Red Cross, St. John’s P.T.A., and the Bahamas Swim Federation. She organized “Legal Line”, a radio programme dedicated to discussion of the Law.
Ms. Campbell has a wide range of interests that include cooking, reading, sewing, swimming and walking. She speaks French fluently.
An Anglican, she worships at Christ Church Cathedral.
Johnley Ferguson was born on 12 November, 1950 in Snug Corner, Acklins to Earnest and Ellamae Ferguson.
He received his early education at the Snug Corner All Age School and completed teacher training at the San Salvador Teachers College. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in General Education from the University of Miami and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Nova University, Florida.
Mr. Ferguson began his teaching career in the government-operated school system and has served in the public school system throughout the country: Lower Bogue, Eleuthera, Betsy Bay, Mayaguana, Sweeting’s Cay and McClain’s Town, Grand Bahama and Lowe Sound Andros. He also taught in a number of schools in New Providence, including the R M Bailey High School where he served as principal. Subsequently, he served as Education Superintendent for the South Eastern District in New Providence.
He was also the Administrator in the Island of Eleuthera.
Long in the forefront of the Bahamas Union of Teachers, he has been active in the Teachers and Salaries Worker’s Cooperative Credit Union and presently serves as a Director of the Board. He is also Director of The Bahamas Co-operative League.
Between 1985 and 1999, Mr. Ferguson led the Acklins Trade and Development Association.
He has been married for 29 years to Carnetta and the couple has 4 children. The family worships at the Church of God of Prophesy where Mr. Ferguson also serves as a Minister.
Dion Foulkes was born at Nassau on October 9, 1956, to Sir Arthur and Mrs. Naomi Foulkes.
He attended St. Thomas More Primary School and R. M. Bailey High School in Nassau, and graduated from Indiana University in the United States with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a minor in Accounting. He is a lawyer and member of the Bahamas Bar.
Mr. Foulkes entered politics at the age of 15 and has risen steadily through the ranks from the Torchbearers, youth arm of the Party, to Minister in the FNM Cabinet.
He was elected to Parliament for the Blue Hills Constituency in 1992, and again in 1997.
He served as FNM Assistant Secretary General, Secretary General, Chairman and Deputy Leader.
He was Minister of State for Education, Minister of Education, and Minister of Labour and Maritime Affairs in the FNM Government.
A Roman Catholic, he is married to Emma Jane (nee Thompson) of Crown Haven, Abaco, and they have five children.
Claire L. Hepburn was born at Nassau on 6 November 1945.
She was educated at the Government High School in Nassau and at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Diploma in Education. She obtained a Masters of Arts Degree in Education from the University of Miami.
Following Articles she was called to The Bahamas Bar in September, 1985. Mrs. Hepburn is a partner in the law firm of Graham, Thompson and Co.
Before reading law she taught history at the Government High School and later at the College of The Bahamas where she served as Lecturer, Chairman of the Social Science Department, Academic Dean and Acting Vice-Principal of the College. She has also been Associate Lecturer at the Eugene Dupuch Law School.
Mrs. Hepburn has served in many professional and public service capacities including Acting Magistrate, Acting Judge of the Supreme Court, Director of The Bahamas International Securities Exchange (BISX), Director of the Bank of The Bahamas Ltd, Director of Doctors Hospital Health Systems Limited, Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas, Chairman of the Gaming Board and Member of the Anglican Central Education Authority.
An Anglican, Mrs. Hepburn is married to Mr. Livingston Hepburn, has one son, Ian Andre Hepburn and a daughter, Tara Xavier Hepburn (deceased).
Jacinta Higgs is the daughter of Benjamin Mackey and Cora Ferguson Mackey. She received her education at the St. Anslem’s Catholic and Sandilands Primary Schools, L. W. Young Junior High School and St. Augustine’s College.
In 1987 she began studies at the College of The Bahamas, where she obtained an Associate of Arts Degree in General Science and Agriculture along with a Teaching Certificate. She was awarded a Bachelor of Education Degree in Language and History from the University of the West Indies in 1996.
Mrs. Higgs successfully pursued a Master of Arts Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Thomas, Nassau and in 2006 when she earned a Doctor of Education Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota.
She is currently employed at Omega College as Director of Education Programmes and as a lecturer.
Dr. Higgs has written several publications, including a General Science Booklet for Junior Schools (1990), Health Science Booklet for Junior Schools (1990), media articles for the Bahamas Girls Guides (1999 – 20002), St. Anselm Catholic Church’s 70th Anniversary Historical Booklet, and more recently her Doctoral Dissertation: Colonial Education, African Amnesia (2006).
A member of St. Anselm’s Catholic Church in Fox Hill, she is married to Dwight Higgs and the couple has two children.
Lynn Pyfrom Holowesko, C.B.E., was born in Nassau and educated in The Bahamas and in the United States of America. She received a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree from Catholic University in Washington D.C. and later articled at Higgs and Kelly.
She was called to the Bahamas Bar in 1985.
Mrs. Holowesko previously served in the Senate between 2000 and 2002 and as Deputy Chairman of the Town Planning Committee between 1992 and 1996.
Well known both at home and abroad for her work in environmental conservation and protection, Mrs. Holowesko, served as Ambassador for the Environment and Chairman of The Bahamas Environment, Science & Technology Commission between 1994 and 2000. She was The Bahamas’ representative to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development between 1995 and 1998.
A past President of The Bahamas National Trust (1976-1982 & 1984-1991), Mrs. Holowesko is a member of the IDB Blue Ribbon Panel on Environmental Policy; a Member of the Environmental Law Advisory Group of the OAS Department of Sustainable Development and served as Deputy Chairman of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Commission on National Parks & Protected Areas between 1992 and 2000.
She has served as a Member of Council of IUCN for the Caribbean Region since in 2000. Between 1999 and 2001 she served as the Chairman of the UN Legal Drafting Committee for the Protocol on Biosafety and as Co-Chairman of the U.N. Environmental Programme (UNEP) Panel of Experts on Environmental Law for the Montevideo Programme between 1999 and 2000.
Mrs. Holowesko is married to William Holowesko and the couple has six children and sixteen grandchildren.
Reverend Frederick A. McAlpine was born in Grand Bahama the son of Frederick and Cynthia McAlpine. He was educated in The Bahamas and Jamaica.
A charismatic evangelist, he was ordained to the Christian Ministry in 1983 at the age of 17.
Rev. McAlpine, President of Frederick McAlpine Evangelistic Ministries and a senior Minister at Freeport Fellowship Centre, is the host of a weekly Radio Broadcast on ZNS’ Northern Service.
He has preached in numerous countries around the Caribbean, in North America as well as in Brazil and in the United Kingdom.
Rev. McAlpine has served as President of Freeport Anglican High School Student Christian Movement; as an Executive Member of the Grand Bahama Christian Council; as a National Evangelist for the United Zion Baptist Convention and as Vice President of the Pentecostal Charismatic Ministerial Fellowship.
He is the father of two children Matthew and Michelle McAlpine.
Mrs. Kay Forbes-Smith was born in West End, Grand Bahama the daughter of Gloria Forbes (nee) Martin and Vincent C. Forbes.
She was educated in Grand Bahama and in the United States of America where she received a Journalism Degree from Palm Beach Community College. She has undertaken further studies in management at Nova Southeastern University.
Mrs. Forbes-Smith has been engaged in Management, Sales, Public Relations, Human Resources Development and Hotel Operations in a number of Grand Bahama based companies. She is currently President of Elshemant Company Limited owners of a service station complex in Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama.
Long active in the Free National Movement she is a past President of the Grand Bahamas FNM Women’s Association. She has served in Local Government in High Rock and on the Board of the Public Hospitals Authority.
An avid sportsman Mrs. Forbes Smith is a Past President and Fast Pitch Chairman of the Grand Bahama Amateur Softball Association, Former Secretary General of the Bahamas Softball Federation, currently serves as a Director of the Federation and a former member of the Bahamas Ladies National Softball Team.
An Anglican, she is married to Godfrey Smith the couple has three children Godfrey Jr., Keath and Sydney.
