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Article: Ah, democracy-Antiguan-style.(politics in Antigua-Barbuda)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- March 6, 1999
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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ST JOHN'S
FIREWORKS explode. Green laser beams cross the sky. A searchlight scans the clouds. Fifty-two vast banners and 17 giant red balloons enclose a crowd of thousands. ``Which head of government, at any time or anywhere,'' can match his record? ask the loudspeakers. They boom Bob Marley's ``Three Little Birds''. On to a stage backed by a huge national flag steps Lester Bird, prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda.
He is a son of Vere Cornwall Bird, Knight Grand Collar of the Order of National Hero, prime minister from 1981 to 1994. Another son is Vere Bird Junior, now up for re-election to parliament; a 1990 commission of inquiry into an ...