Lester Bird
John Eugene St. Luce | |||||||||||||||
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Succeeded by | Molwyn Joseph | ||||||||||||||
In office 2001–2003 | |||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Himself | ||||||||||||||
Preceded by | John Eugene St. Luce | ||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Robin Yearwood | ||||||||||||||
Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||
In office March 2009 – December 2012 | |||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Steadroy Benjamin | ||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Gaston Browne | ||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||
Born | New York City, US | 21 February 1938||||||||||||||
Died | 9 August 2021 Hodges Bay, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda[1] | (aged 83)||||||||||||||
Nationality | Antiguan and Barbudan | ||||||||||||||
Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Michigan | ||||||||||||||
Sports career | |||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Sir Lester Bryant Bird
Early life and education
Bird was born in New York City on 21 February 1938.
Political career
Bird's political career began in 1971, when he was nominated to the
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 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. 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
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 Baldwin Spencer. Following a successful general strike called by the UPP, Sir Vere announced in March 1992 he would step down at the 1994 general elections.[2][6] 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 John St. Luce, the information minister. 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.[2][6]
In the
In the
In the
Bird remained the ALP's political leader following the party's 2004 defeat. He led the party in the
Bird was succeeded as ALP leader by
In 2014, he was made a Knight of the Order of the National Hero (KNH) by Antigua and Barbuda.[14]
Death
Bird died at the age of 83 on 9 August 2021.[15][16]
See also
References
- ^ "OneDrive".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Roger East and Richard Thomas, "Profiles of people in power: the world's government leaders" (2003). Psychology Press, pp. 16-17.
- ^ a b c d Howard W. French, "Island's Hushed Scandals, Unhushed", The New York Times, 16 June 1990.
- ^ a b Robert Glass, "Caribbean Island Focus of International Arms Scandal", Associated Press, 14 May 1990.
- ^ Carolyn L. Cartier and Alan A. Lew, Seductions of place: geographical perspectives on globalization and touristed landscapes (2005). Psychology Press: p. 229.
- ^ a b c d e Freedom House, Freedom in the World: The Annual Survey of Political Rights & Civil Liberties, 1993–1994 (1994). University Press of America, pp. 117–119.
- ^ "The Failings of Governance in Antigua & Barbuda: The Elections of 1999", 1 June 1999.
- ^ "Antigua and Barbuda General Election Results 2004". www.caribbeanelections.com. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ "Caribbean Elections Biography | Errol Cort". caribbeanelections.com. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ "Caribbean Elections | Antigua and Barbuda Elections 2009". Archived from the original on 25 November 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
- ^ "Different parties similar woes - Reviewing the political affairs of 2007", Antigua Sun, 28 December 2007.
- ^ "Gaston Browne Is Antigua's New Opposition Leader". www.radiojamaicanewsonline.com.
- ^ Jacqueline Charles, "Browne becomes new prime minister of Antigua, youngest ever", Miami Herald, 13 June 2014.
- ^ "Sir Lester Bird receives A&B's highest national honour". The Daily Observer. 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
- ^ "Former Antigua, Barbuda PM Sir Lester Bird dies at 83". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ "Former Antigua and Barbuda PM Sir Lester Bird dies". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.