By Nelson A. King
The Gaston Browne administration
in Antigua and Barbuda
has accorded a state funeral for
former Prime Minister Sir Lester
Bird, who died on Aug. 9.
“Cabinet decided that he
should be accorded a State
Funeral and that a period of
national mourning should take
effect immediately until the day
of the funeral on Thursday, 26
August, 2021 at 10 a.m. at the
Sir Vivian Richards Stadium,”
an Antigua and Barbuda Government
statement said.
“Cabinet also decided that all
flags on government buildings
in Antigua and Barbuda, and
at offices overseas, should be
flown at half-staff until the day
of the funeral,” it added.
The Antigua and Barbuda
Cabinet also decided that Aug.
26 should be declared a public
holiday in the twin-island
state.
“Cabinet further decided that
all expenses in connection with
the state funeral of the late
Sir Lester Bryant Bird, KNH,
should be paid by the Government
Caribbean L 20 ife, AUGUST 20-26, 2021
of Antigua and Barbuda,”
the statement said.
“Cabinet noted that a Special
Sitting of the Parliament
of Antigua and Barbuda will be
held at the Parliament building
in St. John’s on Tuesday 17th
August, 2021 to pay tribute to
the late Sir Lester Bryant Bird,
KNH,” it added.
The body of the late Sir Lester
will lie in state on Aug. 23-23
at the Parliament building in
St. John’s, the Antiguan capital
.A
fter the funeral service,
the body of Sir Lester will be
interred at the St. John’s Public
Cemetery.
“His was a race well run,”
the statement said. “May his
soul rest in peace.”
On Oct. 28, 2019, the Antigua
and Barbuda Festivals Commission
said Sir Lester was “one of
the architects of the new Antigua
and Barbuda.
“In recognition of his contribution,
the governor general,
with the concurrence of
Cabinet and the Honors Committee,
conferred upon him,
during the 33rd Anniversary
of our country’s independence,
the honor of Knight Companion
of the Most Exalted Order
of National Hero,” the commission
said.
Caribbeanelections.com
said that Lester Bryant Bird
was born in New York City on
Feb.21, 1938.
He was the son of Sir Vere
Cornwall Bird, the first Prime
Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
after independence.
Lester Bryant Bird was educated
at Antigua Grammar
School, the University of Michigan,
and Gray’s Inn, London.
Between 1969 and 1976, Bird
was a lawyer in private practice,
Caribbeanelections said.
It said that, in 1971 Bird
became the chairman of the
Antigua Labor Party (ALP),
which had been formed by his
father in 1946, and entered the
Senate as Leader of the Opposition.
In 1976, Caribbeanelections
said Bird was elected as a Member
of Parliament, and, between
1976 and 1991, served as both
Former and late Prime Minister of Antigua, Lester Bird.
Gov’t of Antigua and Barbuda
Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Economic Development,
Tourism, and Energy.
Between 198, when Antigua
achieved full independence
from the United Kingdom, and
1991, he also served as Minister
of Foreign Affairs in his father’s
government, Caribbeanelections
said.
Antigua gov’t accords state
funeral to former PM Lester Bird
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