Lester Bryant Bird
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The Right Honourable Sir Lester Bird KNH |
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|---|---|
| 2nd Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda | |
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In office 9 March 1994 – 24 March 2004 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor-General | James Carlisle |
| Preceded by | Vere Bird |
| Succeeded by | Baldwin Spencer |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
21 February 1938 New York, New York, United States |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
Sir Lester Bryant Bird, KNH (born 21 February 1938) was the second Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda from 1994 to 2004 and a well-known athlete. He was chairman of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) from 1971 to 1983, then became Prime Minister when his father, Sir Vere Bird, the previous Prime Minister, resigned.
Bird was born in New York City on 21 February 1938. Lester and his elder brother Vere Bird, Jr., also a British-educated lawyer, have been considered sometime rivals, with The New York Times 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 Methodist. Bird was a cricket player in his youth, playing for the Leeward Islands, and a long jump champion. He won a bronze medal in the long jump at the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago while representing the British West Indies. He attended the University of Michigan, where he was All-American long jumper in 1960 and graduated in 1962. Bird completed his study of law in Britain and was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1969. From 1969 to 1976, Bird engaged in private practice in Antigua.
Bird's political career began in 1971, when he was nominated to the Senate. The frequently-dominant Antigua Labour Party was in opposition for a five-year period. Bird was named chairman of the ALP and the leader of the opposition in the Senate. Lester continued to served as leader of the opposition until he was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1976 elections, when the ALP returned to power. Bird joined his father's government as Deputy Prime Minister. In addition to serving as Deputy Prime Minister, 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.
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