Lester Bird - Definition

Lester Bryant Bird (born February 21, 1938) was Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda from 1994 to 2004 and a well-known athlete. He was chairman of the Antigua Labour Party from 1971 to 1993, then became Prime Minister when his father, Vere Bird, the previous Prime Minister, resigned.

His government won re-election in 1994 and 1999. In 2003 he temporarily became a leader of a minority administration. At the March 2004 elections his government was defeated by the United Progressive Party led by Baldwin Spencer. Bird's party lost eight seats, and he himself was defeated by Errol Cort, who became finance minister in the new United Progressive Party government.