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Lester Bryant Bird is the second son of Vere Cornwall Bird. Born February 21,1938 in New York City, Lester attended the University of Michigan in the US, and Gray's, in London where he completed his studies and returned to Antigua as a legal advisor and potential successor to his father.
He became chairman of the Antigua Labor Party in 1971 while working as a private Lawyer until 1976 when he was elected as a MP. Between 1976 and 1981, Lester Bird served as Minister of Economic Development, Tourism and Energy in Antigua. By 1991 Lester bird was serving in the capacity of Minister of Foreign Affairs in his father's government.
On March 9th 1994, Lester Bryant Bird became the second prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda after his father, Vere Bird, resigned. Lester and the ALP won re-election in 1994 and again in 1999, but his term in office was plagued by perpetual scandals and accusations of gross mismanagement, allegations of drug running and charges of corruption at the highest level.
By 2003, the ALP strangle hold on the electorate was broken and he became the leader of a minority administration. Eventually, Lester Bird and the ALP was defeated by Baldwin Spencer and the UPP in the national election in Antigua and Barbuda on the 24 of March 2004.
Before leaving office, he was accused of having a sexual affair with a minor and was ordered to testify in a civil case accusing him of raping a teenage girl. He was eventually cleared by a judge on the grounds of insufficient evidence. More on the alleged accusations.