NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) -- A businessman and a former Cabinet minister
                 were knighted in British Queen Elizabeth II's New Year's honors.

                 Albert Miller and Geoffrey Johnstone were awarded the Knight Commander of the
                 Order of St. Michael and St. George. They will be able to put the title "sir" before
                 their names.

                 Miller is co-chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, a private company that
                 manages the piers at Freeport, the Bahamas' second largest city. He is also a retired
                 deputy commissioner of police.

                 Johnstone is the Bahamian nonresident ambassador to Argentina, Brazil, Chile and
                 Uruguay. He is the deputy to the governor general and chairman of the
                 Constitutional Review Commission. He also is a former Cabinet minister.

                 A total of 27 Bahamians received varying honors from the British queen, who is the
                 Bahamas' head of state even though the country became independent from Britain in
                 1973.

                 The awards, made officially by the queen but selected by the government, mark
                 achievements in public life, industry and the arts in Britain and in the
                 Commonwealth.

                  Copyright 2002 The Associated Press.