Former Prime Minister and National Hero Sir Lester Bryant Bird has died at the age of 83.
Sir Lester who was the second Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda from 1994 to 2004 died on August 9 at approximately 6 am.
He was chairman of the Antigua Labor Party from 1971 to 1983, then became Prime Minister when his father, Sir Vere Bird, the previous Prime Minister, resigned.
In 2014, he was made a Knight of the Order of the National Hero by Antigua and Barbuda.
Following the news of his passing, numerous individuals took to the airwaves to pay tribute to the nation’s hero.
Among them was Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin, Chief of Staff Lionel Max Hurst and Chairman of the Board of Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority Mary Clare Hurst.
“Sir Lester’s death signals the end of an era. May his contributions to our nation and the region transcend time,” Leader of the Democratic National Alliance Joanne Massiah says on the passing of Sir Lester Bird.
Like other citizens and residents, we are shocked by the news as previous reports indicated that he was recuperating well from a recent surgery the party said.
As a politician, Sir Lester’s contribution to the economic and social development of Antigua and Barbuda cannot be disputed and his leadership at both the OECS and CARICOM levels was impactful and valued by his peers the DNA added.
He is credited for repositioning the country’s tourism sector and for modernizing St. John’s city with the construction of the Heritage Quay complex which transformed commerce and economic activity for locals and improved visitor experience.
Sir Lester was known and admired for his sporting feats in cricket, track and field and long jump.
