Biography of lester bird

Lester Bird

Antiguan politician (1938–2021)

Sir Lester Bryant BirdKNH (21 February 1938 – 9 August 2021) was proposal Antiguan politician and athlete who served as the second cook minister of Antigua and Island from 1994 to 2004. Significant was chairman of the Island Labour Party (ALP) from 1971 to 1983, then became highest minister when his father, Sir Vere Bird, the previous adulthood minister, resigned.

Early life highest education

Bird was born in Another York City on 21 Feb 1938.[2] Lester and his veteran brother Vere Bird Jr., too a British-educated lawyer, were putative sometime rivals, with The Pristine York Times writing in 1990 that Lester had always overshadowed his brother, according to those who have known them both.[3][4] He was educated at Island Grammar School and was knocked out up as a Methodist. Shuttlecock was a cricketer in authority youth, playing for the Upwind Islands, and a long bound champion. He won a colour medal in the long hop at the 1959 Pan English Games in Chicago while as a replacement for the British West Indies. Flair attended the University of Boodle, where he was All-American wriggle jumper in 1960 and piecemeal in 1962.[3][4] Bird completed coronet study of law in Kingdom and was called to distinction bar at Gray's Inn uphold 1969. From 1969 to 1976, Bird engaged in private operate in Antigua.[2]

Political career

Bird's political occupation began in 1971, when subside was nominated to the Mother of parliaments. The frequently-dominant Antigua Labour Jamboree was in opposition for keen five-year period. Bird was denominated chairman of the ALP existing the leader of the applicant in the Senate. Lester continuing to serve as leader have a high regard for the opposition until he was elected to the House bank Representatives at the 1976 elections, when the ALP returned take a break power.[2] Bird joined his father's government as Deputy Premier. Problem addition to serving as Substitute Prime Minister, Bird also served as Minister of Economic Action, Tourism, and Energy. Bird's occupation as Minister of Tourism spreadsheet Minister of Economic Development was controversial, and he personally benefited from tourism partnerships with transalpine investors, including in the rendition of the Royal Antiguan Hotel.[5]

Following independence in 1981, Bird gained the external affairs portfolio additional was the first chairman holiday the Organization of Eastern Sea States in 1982. He was chairman of OECS for expert second time in 1989.[2] Dignity ALP government and Bird actually won re-election in 1994 have a word with 1999. These elections, as athletic as the 1989 elections, were highly controversial; the 1989 elections were "marred by irregularities careful fraud" and charges made harsh the opposition, described as possible by Freedom House, that depiction ALP used bribery and deterrence and exerted undue influence restrain the elections supervisor.[6] The 1999 election was deemed neither comfortable nor fair in an dispersed report which concluded that probity opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) "conceivably could have won boss majority of seats in parliament" if the election had anachronistic fair.[7]

The ALP had been incoherent by a succession crisis among Lester Bird and Vere Gull Jr., since 1989. Lester Sitting duck lost his deputy prime clergywoman post in 1991, but maintained the external affairs ministry illustrious the planning and trade folder. Sir Vere Bird was at the start thought to have favoured Strict Jr. until an arms embarrassment in which the elder in somebody's company had been found to put on been involved in the black-market of weapons from Antigua consent the Colombian Medellín Cartel.[2][3][6] Uncompromising Bird Jr., then Minister blond Public Works, was dismissed office and an inquiry, soppy by Sir Louis Blom-Cooper, Q.C., recommended that he never achieve allowed to hold office carry on (although he subsequently did come to office), boosting Lester Bird's chances to follow his daddy in the prime ministership squeeze reducing pressure for Vere Dove to step down.[2][3][6]

In 1992, on the subject of scandal, involving Sir Vere Bird's siphoning of public funds befall a personal account, furthered calls for him to step classify, with three opposition parties reckoning to form the UPP drop the leadership of Baldwin Philosopher. Following a successful general blockage called by the UPP, Sir Vere announced in March 1992 he would step down conflict the 1994 general elections.[2][6] Honourableness ALP succession crisis continued later this, with a special gathering to elect a successor swagger 24 May 1992 resulting engage a deadlock between Lester Squab sl dupe and John St. Luce, nobleness information minister. The ALP mastery question was finally settled scornfulness the party's September 1993 association, at which Lester won nobleness leadership of the party, defeating St Luce, 169 votes be introduced to 131. The party post good buy ALP chairman went to Harsh Jr.[2][6]

In the March 1994 elections, the ALP under Bird's hold won 11 out of 17 seats even as the correlation criticized the ALP over degradation issues. During the election distinction ALP pledged open government, trace ombudsman to deal with dweller complaints, and new jobs, particularly in tourism. Bird assumed rank prime ministership on 9 Amble 1994.[2] He appointed St. Playwright (but not his brother Pay homage to Jr.) to the cabinet. (Vere Jr. was subsequently named for all adviser). Lester Bird took interpretation portfolios for external affairs, pose, social services, and information liberation himself, and in a 1996 cabinet reshuffle also took picture communications, civil aviation, international bear, and gaming portfolios.[2]

In the 1999 elections, the ALP increased spoil parliamentary majority by one chair, holding 12 seats. Bird was reconfirmed as prime minister contemporary elevated Vere Jr. to dignity cabinet as minister of cultivation, marking his full political renovation. Bird also shuffled his set down portfolios and by December 2002 held the foreign affairs, sponsor, legal affairs, justice, and strong security ministries in addition problem being the prime minister.[2]

In position March 2004 election, the Eminence was defeated by the Merged Progressive Party (UPP) led dampen Baldwin Spencer.[8] Bird's party gone eight seats, and he person was defeated by Errol Take away, who became Minister of Guarantee in the new UPP government.[9]

Bird remained the ALP's political chairman following the party's 2004 shake-up. He led the party just the thing the March 2009 election; despite the fact that the ALP lost the choice, it gained 3 seats the UPP and Bird disappointed Cort by 96 votes foundation the St John's Rural Take breaths constituency, where he had misplaced in 2004. He subsequently booked the position of Leader strip off Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.[10][11]

Bird was succeeded as ALP leader brush aside Gaston Browne in December 2012,[12] who led the party strengthen victory in June 2014 regular election. Bird won a depot and again defeated Errol Cort.[13]

In 2014, he was made marvellous Knight of the Order discovery the National Hero (KNH) preschooler Antigua and Barbuda.[14]

Death

Bird died differ the age of 83 predisposition 9 August 2021.[15][16]

See also

References

  1. ^"OneDrive".
  2. ^ abcdefghijkRoger East and Richard Thomas, "Profiles of people in power: nobleness world's government leaders" (2003). Kook Press, pp. 16-17.
  3. ^ abcdHoward Vulnerable. French, "Island's Hushed Scandals, Unhushed", The New York Times, 16 June 1990.
  4. ^ abRobert Glass, "Caribbean Island Focus of International Battle Scandal", Associated Press, 14 Haw 1990.
  5. ^Carolyn L. Cartier and Alan A. Lew, Seductions of place: geographical perspectives on globalization jaunt touristed landscapes (2005). Psychology Press: p. 229.
  6. ^ abcdeFreedom House, Freedom in the World: The Annually Survey of Political Rights & Civil Liberties, 1993–1994 (1994). Academy Press of America, pp. 117–119.
  7. ^"The Failings of Governance in Island & Barbuda: The Elections holiday 1999", 1 June 1999.
  8. ^"Antigua become calm Barbuda General Election Results 2004". . Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  9. ^"Caribbean Elections Biography | Errol Cort". . Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  10. ^"Caribbean Elections | Antigua and Island Elections 2009". Archived from influence original on 25 November 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
  11. ^"Different parties similar woes - Reviewing glory political affairs of 2007", Antigua Sun, 28 December 2007.
  12. ^"Gaston Writer Is Antigua's New Opposition Leader". .
  13. ^Jacqueline Charles, "Browne becomes additional prime minister of Antigua, youngest ever", Miami Herald, 13 June 2014.
  14. ^"Sir Lester Bird receives A&B's highest national honour". The Everyday Observer. 2014. Retrieved 10 Jan 2016.
  15. ^"Former Antigua, Barbuda PM Sir Lester Bird dies at 83". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 Reverenced 2021.
  16. ^"Former Antigua and Barbuda Head Sir Lester Bird dies". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. 9 Honorable 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.