45:
371:
398:
1270:
540:, Bird also served as Minister of Economic Development, Tourism, and Energy. Bird's tenure as Minister of Tourism and Minister of Economic Development was controversial, and he personally benefited from tourism partnerships with foreign investors, including in the construction of the Royal Antiguan Hotel.
563:
The ALP had been divided by a succession crisis between Lester Bird and Vere Bird Jr., since 1989. Lester Bird lost his deputy prime minister post in 1991, but retained the external affairs ministry and the planning and trade portfolio. Sir Vere Bird was initially thought to have favoured Vere Jr.
588:
called by the UPP, Sir Vere announced in March 1992 he would step down at the 1994 general elections. The ALP succession crisis continued following this, with a special convention to elect a successor on 24 May 1992 resulting in a deadlock between Lester Bird and
543:
Following independence in 1981, Bird gained the external affairs portfolio and was the first chairman of the
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States in 1982. He was chairman of OECS for a second time in 1989. The ALP government and Bird himself won
616:. Bird assumed the prime ministership on 9 March 1994. He appointed St. Luce (but not his brother Vere Jr.) to the cabinet. (Vere Jr. was subsequently named special adviser). Lester Bird took the portfolios for external affairs, planning,
576:, recommended that he never be allowed to hold office again (although he subsequently did return to office), boosting Lester Bird's chances to follow his father in the prime ministership and reducing pressure for Vere Bird to step down.
597:. The ALP leadership question was finally settled at the party's September 1993 convention, at which Lester won the leadership of the party, defeating St Luce, 169 votes to 131. The party post of ALP chairman went to Vere Jr.
579:
In 1992, another scandal, involving Sir Vere Bird's siphoning of public funds into a personal account, furthered calls for him to step down, with three opposition parties uniting to form the UPP under the leadership of
556:, that the ALP used bribery and intimidation and exerted undue influence over the elections supervisor. The 1999 election was deemed neither free nor fair in an independent report which concluded that the opposition
689:; although the ALP lost the election, it gained 3 seats from the UPP and Bird defeated Cort by 96 votes in the St John's Rural East constituency, where he had lost in 2004. He subsequently held the position of
1463:
552:. These elections, as well as the 1989 elections, were highly controversial; the 1989 elections were "marred by irregularities and fraud" and charges made by the opposition, described as credible by
1443:
753:
1448:
1250:
1383:
1478:
1438:
472:
writing in 1990 that Lester had always overshadowed his brother, according to those who have known them both. He was educated at
Antigua Grammar School and was brought up as a
1243:
1403:
604:, the ALP under Bird's leadership won 11 out of 17 seats even as the opposition criticized the ALP over corruption issues. During the election the ALP pledged
1373:
639:, the ALP increased its parliamentary majority by one seat, holding 12 seats. Bird was reconfirmed as prime minister and elevated Vere Jr. to the cabinet as
1473:
1433:
1236:
1368:
1423:
1413:
1408:
1388:
648:
708:
438:
34:
1458:
962:
529:
375:
1378:
690:
667:
557:
214:
564:
until an arms scandal in which the elder son had been found to have been involved in the smuggling of weapons from
Antigua to the Colombian
1064:
937:
537:
1393:
874:
701:
686:
663:
636:
601:
549:
545:
524:. The frequently-dominant Antigua Labour Party was in opposition for a five-year period. Bird was named chairman of the ALP and the
404:
44:
1453:
1210:
1158:
1131:
679:
652:
119:
1418:
1259:
1106:
443:
57:
1398:
1036:
979:
1428:
1468:
733:
997:
1014:
314:
808:
292:
613:
521:
1323:
1116:
1069:
671:
581:
112:
1041:
912:
887:
533:
827:
Robert Glass, "Caribbean Island Focus of
International Arms Scandal", Associated Press, 14 May 1990.
685:
Bird remained the ALP's political leader following the party's 2004 defeat. He led the party in the
560:(UPP) "conceivably could have won a majority of seats in parliament" if the election had been fair.
644:
525:
442:(21 February 1938 – 9 August 2021) was an Antiguan politician and athlete who served as the second
640:
568:. Vere Bird Jr., then Minister of Public Works, was dismissed from office and an inquiry, led by
528:
in the Senate. Lester continued to serve as leader of the opposition until he was elected to the
489:
941:
497:
493:
326:
532:
at the 1976 elections, when the ALP returned to power. Bird joined his father's government as
504:
long jumper in 1960 and graduated in 1962. Bird completed his study of law in
Britain and was
1228:
863:
Freedom in the World: The Annual Survey of
Political Rights & Civil Liberties, 1993–1994
1363:
1358:
1203:
1151:
594:
447:
152:
25:
8:
296:
838:
Seductions of place: geographical perspectives on globalization and touristed landscapes
1099:
573:
468:
388:
565:
656:
621:
569:
505:
360:
237:
462:
Bird was born in New York City on 21 February 1938. Lester and his elder brother
788:
728:
617:
605:
481:
1220:
625:
585:
207:
88:
1269:
1352:
1328:
1292:
1193:
1168:
858:
697:
590:
553:
509:
463:
249:
164:
875:"The Failings of Governance in Antigua & Barbuda: The Elections of 1999"
501:
78:
963:"Different parties similar woes - Reviewing the political affairs of 2007"
512:
in 1969. From 1969 to 1976, Bird engaged in private practice in
Antigua.
466:, also a British-educated lawyer, were considered sometime rivals, with
675:
321:
647:. Bird also shuffled his own portfolios and by December 2002 held the
1313:
1297:
1287:
1282:
1178:
1141:
609:
485:
473:
451:
450:(ALP) from 1971 to 1983, then became prime minister when his father,
100:
520:
Bird's political career began in 1971, when he was nominated to the
629:
1464:
Recipients of the Order of the
National Hero (Antigua and Barbuda)
477:
674:. Bird's party lost eight seats, and he himself was defeated by
1444:
Pan
American Games bronze medalists for the British West Indies
938:"Caribbean Elections | Antigua and Barbuda Elections 2009"
1258:
998:"Browne becomes new prime minister of Antigua, youngest ever"
612:
to deal with citizen complaints, and new jobs, especially in
1015:"Sir Lester Bird receives A&B's highest national honour"
1449:
Pan
American Games medalists in athletics (track and field)
789:
Profiles of people in power: the world's government leaders
1384:
Athletes (track and field) at the 1959 Pan American Games
488:
champion. He won a bronze medal in the long jump at the
1037:"Former Antigua, Barbuda PM Sir Lester Bird dies at 83"
1479:
Members of the 14th legislature of Antigua and Barbuda
1065:"Former Antigua and Barbuda PM Sir Lester Bird dies"
659:
ministries in addition to being the prime minister.
888:"Antigua and Barbuda General Election Results 2004"
1439:Michigan Wolverines men's track and field athletes
980:"Gaston Browne Is Antigua's New Opposition Leader"
700:in December 2012, who led the party to victory in
397:
865:(1994). University Press of America, pp. 117–119.
704:. Bird won a seat and again defeated Errol Cort.
1350:
1340:Served as Chief Minister of Antigua and Barbuda.
854:
852:
850:
848:
846:
1404:Deputy prime ministers of Antigua and Barbuda
1244:
719:Bird died at the age of 83 on 9 August 2021.
620:, and information for himself, and in a 1996
1374:Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party politicians
913:"Caribbean Elections Biography | Errol Cort"
843:
1474:Track and field athletes from New York City
1434:Members of the Senate (Antigua and Barbuda)
457:
1260:Heads of government of Antigua and Barbuda
1251:
1237:
446:from 1994 to 2004. He was chairman of the
43:
1369:American emigrants to Antigua and Barbuda
454:, the previous prime minister, resigned.
1424:Medalists at the 1959 Pan American Games
1414:Foreign ministers of Antigua and Barbuda
1409:Finance ministers of Antigua and Barbuda
1389:Attorneys general of Antigua and Barbuda
1185:Foreign Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
803:
801:
799:
797:
709:Knight of the Order of the National Hero
691:Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition
1211:Finance Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
1159:Finance Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
1132:Foreign Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
823:
821:
783:
120:Finance Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
1459:Prime ministers of Antigua and Barbuda
1351:
791:" (2003). Psychology Press, pp. 16-17.
781:
779:
777:
775:
773:
771:
769:
767:
765:
763:
1379:Antigua and Barbuda male long jumpers
1232:
1107:Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
794:
444:prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda
70:9 March 1994 – 24 March 2004
58:Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
836:Carolyn L. Cartier and Alan A. Lew,
818:
696:Bird was succeeded as ALP leader by
760:
515:
227:March 2009 – December 2012
13:
809:Island's Hushed Scandals, Unhushed
492:in Chicago while representing the
14:
1490:
1394:Bird family (Antigua and Barbuda)
840:(2005). Psychology Press: p. 229.
734:List of foreign ministers in 2004
1268:
787:Roger East and Richard Thomas, "
396:
369:
1057:
1029:
1007:
990:
972:
956:
930:
628:, international transport, and
16:Antiguan politician (1938–2021)
1454:Politicians from New York City
984:www.radiojamaicanewsonline.com
905:
880:
868:
830:
746:
711:(KNH) by Antigua and Barbuda.
666:, the ALP was defeated by the
655:, legal affairs, justice, and
624:also took the communications,
480:in his youth, playing for the
1:
739:
1419:Leaders of political parties
1070:Trinidad and Tobago Guardian
536:. In addition to serving as
7:
1399:Children of prime ministers
1042:Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
722:
682:in the new UPP government.
10:
1495:
1017:. The Daily Observer. 2014
892:www.caribbeanelections.com
702:June 2014 general election
1337:
1306:
1275:
1266:
1217:
1208:
1200:
1190:
1183:
1175:
1165:
1156:
1148:
1138:
1129:
1123:
1113:
1104:
1096:
1091:
584:. Following a successful
428:
424:
420:
386:
366:
358:
354:
343:
336:
332:
320:
310:
302:
281:
264:
259:
255:
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231:
220:
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191:
181:
170:
158:
146:
136:
125:
118:
106:
94:
84:
74:
63:
55:
51:
42:
23:
1469:Sportsperson-politicians
714:
668:United Progressive Party
645:political rehabilitation
558:United Progressive Party
530:House of Representatives
526:leader of the opposition
458:Early life and education
215:Leader of the Opposition
707:In 2014, he was made a
641:minister of agriculture
490:1959 Pan American Games
85:Governor‑General
1100:Sir Vere Cornwall Bird
917:caribbeanelections.com
498:University of Michigan
435:Sir Lester Bryant Bird
327:University of Michigan
1429:Members of Gray's Inn
570:Sir Louis Blom-Cooper
538:Deputy Prime Minister
306:Antiguan and Barbudan
1204:John Eugene St. Luce
1152:John Eugene St. Luce
996:Jacqueline Charles,
602:March 1994 elections
595:information minister
448:Antigua Labour Party
197:John Eugene St. Luce
153:John Eugene St. Luce
26:The Right Honourable
969:, 28 December 2007.
944:on 25 November 2009
807:Howard W. French, "
687:March 2009 election
680:Minister of Finance
664:March 2004 election
643:, marking his full
546:re-election in 1994
494:British West Indies
376:British West Indies
297:Antigua and Barbuda
1092:Political offices
813:The New York Times
496:. He attended the
469:The New York Times
389:Pan American Games
1346:
1345:
1307:Post-independence
1227:
1226:
1218:Succeeded by
1191:Succeeded by
1166:Succeeded by
1139:Succeeded by
1114:Succeeded by
657:national security
622:cabinet reshuffle
506:called to the bar
432:
431:
414:
413:
277:New York City, US
238:Steadroy Benjamin
1486:
1272:
1253:
1246:
1239:
1230:
1229:
1201:Preceded by
1176:Preceded by
1149:Preceded by
1126:Position created
1124:Preceded by
1111:1994–2004
1097:Preceded by
1089:
1088:
1083:
1082:
1080:
1078:
1061:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1050:
1045:. 10 August 2021
1033:
1027:
1026:
1024:
1022:
1011:
1005:
994:
988:
987:
976:
970:
960:
954:
953:
951:
949:
940:. Archived from
934:
928:
927:
925:
923:
909:
903:
902:
900:
898:
884:
878:
872:
866:
856:
841:
834:
828:
825:
816:
805:
792:
785:
758:
757:
750:
516:Political career
441:
407:
400:
399:
391:
382:
381:
373:
372:
352:
351:
288:
275:21 February 1938
274:
272:
260:Personal details
246:
234:
225:
204:
194:
184:
175:
161:
149:
139:
130:
109:
97:
68:
47:
37:
21:
20:
1494:
1493:
1489:
1488:
1487:
1485:
1484:
1483:
1349:
1348:
1347:
1342:
1333:
1302:
1273:
1262:
1257:
1223:
1214:
1206:
1196:
1187:
1181:
1171:
1162:
1154:
1144:
1135:
1127:
1119:
1117:Baldwin Spencer
1110:
1102:
1087:
1086:
1076:
1074:
1073:. 9 August 2021
1063:
1062:
1058:
1048:
1046:
1035:
1034:
1030:
1020:
1018:
1013:
1012:
1008:
1004:, 13 June 2014.
995:
991:
978:
977:
973:
961:
957:
947:
945:
936:
935:
931:
921:
919:
911:
910:
906:
896:
894:
886:
885:
881:
873:
869:
857:
844:
835:
831:
826:
819:
815:, 16 June 1990.
806:
795:
786:
761:
752:
751:
747:
742:
729:Bruce Rappaport
725:
717:
672:Baldwin Spencer
649:foreign affairs
618:social services
606:open government
582:Baldwin Spencer
566:Medellín Cartel
518:
500:, where he was
482:Leeward Islands
460:
437:
416:
415:
403:
387:
379:
370:
368:
349:
348:
311:Political party
290:
286:
276:
270:
268:
244:
232:
226:
221:
202:
192:
182:
176:
171:
159:
147:
137:
131:
126:
113:Baldwin Spencer
107:
95:
69:
64:
38:
33:
31:
30:Sir Lester Bird
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1492:
1482:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1466:
1461:
1456:
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1300:
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1279:
1277:
1274:
1267:
1264:
1263:
1256:
1255:
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1241:
1233:
1225:
1224:
1221:Robin Yearwood
1219:
1216:
1207:
1202:
1198:
1197:
1192:
1189:
1182:
1177:
1173:
1172:
1167:
1164:
1155:
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1137:
1128:
1125:
1121:
1120:
1115:
1112:
1103:
1098:
1094:
1093:
1085:
1084:
1056:
1028:
1006:
989:
971:
955:
929:
904:
879:
877:, 1 June 1999.
867:
842:
829:
817:
793:
759:
744:
743:
741:
738:
737:
736:
731:
724:
721:
716:
713:
637:1999 elections
626:civil aviation
586:general strike
534:Deputy Premier
517:
514:
459:
456:
430:
429:
426:
425:
422:
421:
418:
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289:(aged 83)
283:
279:
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266:
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261:
257:
256:
253:
252:
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241:
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229:
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211:
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208:Robin Yearwood
205:
199:
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189:
188:
185:
183:Prime Minister
179:
178:
168:
167:
162:
156:
155:
150:
144:
143:
140:
138:Prime Minister
134:
133:
123:
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116:
115:
110:
104:
103:
98:
92:
91:
89:James Carlisle
86:
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61:
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53:
52:
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48:
40:
39:
32:
29:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1247:
1242:
1240:
1235:
1234:
1231:
1222:
1213:
1212:
1205:
1199:
1195:
1194:Harold Lovell
1186:
1180:
1174:
1170:
1169:Molwyn Joseph
1161:
1160:
1153:
1147:
1143:
1134:
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1118:
1109:
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959:
943:
939:
933:
918:
914:
908:
893:
889:
883:
876:
871:
864:
860:
859:Freedom House
855:
853:
851:
849:
847:
839:
833:
824:
822:
814:
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802:
800:
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755:
749:
745:
735:
732:
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727:
726:
720:
712:
710:
705:
703:
699:
698:Gaston Browne
694:
692:
688:
683:
681:
678:, who became
677:
673:
670:(UPP) led by
669:
665:
660:
658:
654:
650:
646:
642:
638:
633:
631:
627:
623:
619:
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611:
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603:
598:
596:
592:
591:John St. Luce
587:
583:
577:
575:
571:
567:
561:
559:
555:
554:Freedom House
551:
547:
541:
539:
535:
531:
527:
523:
513:
511:
507:
503:
499:
495:
491:
487:
483:
479:
476:. Bird was a
475:
471:
470:
465:
464:Vere Bird Jr.
455:
453:
452:Sir Vere Bird
449:
445:
440:
436:
427:
423:
419:
409:
406:
402:
395:
394:
390:
385:
377:
367:Representing
365:
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353:
342:
339:
338:Sports career
335:
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285:9 August 2021
284:
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258:
254:
251:
250:Gaston Browne
248:
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224:
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186:
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174:
169:
166:
165:Molwyn Joseph
163:
157:
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145:
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135:
129:
124:
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117:
114:
111:
105:
102:
99:
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90:
87:
83:
80:
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73:
67:
62:
59:
54:
50:
46:
41:
36:
27:
22:
19:
1339:
1318:
1209:
1184:
1157:
1130:
1105:
1075:. Retrieved
1068:
1059:
1047:. Retrieved
1040:
1031:
1019:. Retrieved
1009:
1002:Miami Herald
1001:
992:
983:
974:
966:
958:
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632:portfolios.
599:
578:
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502:All-American
467:
461:
434:
433:
405:1959 Chicago
347:Medal record
337:
291:Hodges Bay,
287:(2021-08-09)
245:Succeeded by
222:
203:Succeeded by
172:
160:Succeeded by
127:
108:Succeeded by
79:Elizabeth II
65:
18:
1364:2021 deaths
1359:1938 births
967:Antigua Sun
303:Nationality
233:Preceded by
193:Preceded by
148:Preceded by
96:Preceded by
1353:Categories
1215:2001–2003
1188:1991–2004
1136:1981–1991
1021:10 January
754:"OneDrive"
740:References
676:Errol Cort
510:Gray's Inn
410:Long jump
322:Alma mater
293:Saint John
271:1938-02-21
1179:Vere Bird
1142:Vere Bird
1077:10 August
1049:10 August
922:10 August
897:10 August
610:ombudsman
486:long jump
478:cricketer
474:Methodist
361:athletics
223:In office
177:2001–2003
173:In office
142:Vere Bird
132:1991–1991
128:In office
101:Vere Bird
66:In office
1276:Colonial
948:14 March
723:See also
484:, and a
56:2nd
1324:Spencer
1319:L. Bird
1314:V. Bird
1298:V. Bird
1288:V. Bird
1283:V. Bird
662:In the
653:finance
635:In the
614:tourism
600:In the
187:Himself
75:Monarch
1329:Browne
1293:Walter
630:gaming
593:, the
522:Senate
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359:Men's
315:Labour
1163:1991
715:Death
608:, an
380:(BWI)
1079:2021
1051:2021
1023:2016
950:2009
924:2021
899:2021
574:Q.C.
550:1999
548:and
282:Died
265:Born
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508:at
439:KNH
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