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Antigua and Barbuda is a sovereign island country in the Caribbean. It lies at the conjuncture of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles.
The politics of Antigua and Barbuda takes place in a framework of a unitary parliamentary representative democratic monarchy,wherein the sovereign of Antigua and Barbuda is the head of state,appointing a governor-general to act as vice-regal representative in the nation. A prime minister is appointed by the governor-general as the head of government,and of a multi-party system;the prime minister advises the governor-general on the appointment of a Council of Ministers. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the Parliament. The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The history of Antigua and Barbuda covers the period from the arrival of the Archaic peoples thousands of years ago to the present day. Prior to European colonization,the lands encompassing present-day Antigua and Barbuda were inhabited by three successive Amerindian societies. The island was claimed by England,who settled the islands in 1632. Under English/British control,the islands witnessed an influx of both Britons and African slaves migrate to the island. In 1981,the islands were granted independence as the modern state of Antigua and Barbuda.
Sir Lester Bryant Bird was an Antiguan politician and athlete who served as the second prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda from 1994 to 2004. 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.
Sir Vere Cornwall Bird,KNH was the first Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. His son,Lester Bryant Bird,succeeded him as Prime Minister. In 1994,he was declared a "National Hero".
The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) is a political party in Antigua and Barbuda. The current leader of the party is Gaston Browne,who serves as the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. The party had previously been led by Lester Bird,who was chairman of the party since 1971,and was Prime Minister and political leader in 1994.
General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 23 March 2004. The result was a victory for the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP),which defeated the incumbent Antigua Labour Party. Baldwin Spencer,leader of the UPP,replaced Lester Bird as Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda,with Bird being one of eight Labour MPs to lose his seat. Spencer became only the second Prime Minister from outside the Bird family or the Labour Party.
Winston Baldwin Spencer is an Antiguan politician who was the third prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda from 2004 to 2014.
Elections in Antigua and Barbuda take place in the framework of a parliamentary democracy.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and introduction to Antigua and Barbuda:
Vere Bird Jr. was an Antiguan lawyer and politician who served as chairman of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) and a government minister. He was the son of Vere Bird,the former Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda,and brother of Lester Bird,who later held the same position.
Sir Robin Yearwood KGCN is an Antiguan politician and member of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP). Entering Parliament in 1976,Yearwood served as Minister of Agriculture,Land and Fisheries in the ALP administration until a cabinet reshuffle in 1987 saw him take over Vere Bird,Jr.'s portfolio for Aviation,Public Information and Public Utilities. Despite a failed attempt to oust the Prime Minister he retained this position,and kept it when he became Deputy Prime Minister on 9 September 2002 and Minister of Finance a year later. Following the ALP's loss in the 2004 election,Yearwood was one of only three ALP members left in the lower house,and became Leader of the Opposition. He held this position until 2006,when he was replaced with Steadroy Benjamin.
Asot Michael is an Antiguan politician and a Member of the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda,elected from Saint Peter Constituency. He was also the Minister of Tourism,Economic Development,Investment and Energy under Prime Minister Gaston Browne. He was formerly a member of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party.
Sir Steadroy "Cutie" Olivero Benjamin,KGCN,is an Antiguan lawyer and politician,who is the current minister of Justice and Attorney General of Antigua and Barbuda. He previously served as Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda.
Ivor Grenville Theophulus Bird is an Antiguan businessman and the son of Vere Bird,former Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda.
Sir Rodney Errey Lawrence Williams,is the current and 4th Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda.
Sir Gerald Owen Anderson Watt KCN KC is an Antiguan politician and a former cabinet minister. Watt represented St. John's Rural East in parliament from 1971 until 1976 and is a former chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission. Watt has also served as attorney general (1971-1976) during his time as Minister of National Security,Labour,and Legal Affairs. Watt has been the Speaker of the House of Representatives since 25 June 2014. He can be considered bipartisan.
Sir John Eugene St. Luce,KGCN,,is an Antiguan politician from the Antigua Labour Party (ALP). He attended the University of London and majored in economics and social sciences. In 1971,he was appointed to the Senate. In 1976,he was elected to the House of Representatives. He was subsequently re-elected until his retirement from active politics in 2004. He held several portfolios in the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda:Minister of Agriculture,Home Affairs,Health,Public Works,Public Utilities and Communications and Finance. He lost to Lester Bird when there was a vote for successor of Vere Bird as the chairman of the ALP.
Antigua,officially the Associated State of Antigua,was an associated state of the United Kingdom,which was established on 27 February 1967. The associated state was abolished on November 1,1981,by the Antigua Order.
The deputyprime minister of Antigua and Barbuda is the deputy head of government of that country. The last deputy prime minister was Robin Yearwood,who held that office from 18 June 2014.
References
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- ↑ "The Associated Press State & Local Wire". A package of news briefs from the Caribbean. 16 November 2003.
- ↑ "Dozens protest outside the offices of beleaguered planning minister in Antigua". Associated Press Worldstream. 20 November 2003. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
- ↑ "Antigua's prime minister defends beleaguered Cabinet ministers". Associated Press Worldstream. 23 November 2003. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
- ↑ "Texas millionaire gives more donations to Antiguan ministers". Associated Press Worldstream. 27 November 2003. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
- ↑ "Antigua ruling party names candidates for general elections". BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 24 February 2004. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
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- ↑ "Health Minister Molwyn Joseph confirmed for knighthood". 26 October 2020.
- ↑ "Introducing Sir Molwyn Joseph". 2 November 2020.