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Caribbean & Central America - 4 April 1991

'Rebels' demand Bird's retirement; CABINET RESHUFFLE AN ACT OF DESPERATION, SAYS OPPOSITION

Although it was reported on 19 March that Prime Minister Vere Bird had reached a 'political accommodation' with a group of senior members of his government who had staged a rebellion and demanded his resignation, the claimed 'end of hostilities' was far from certain at the time of writing, with 'rebel' ministers still to confirm that they had withdrawn their resignations. One way or the other, said some analysts, the days of the 81-year-old Bird as his country's leader are numbered, with any deal to defuse the political crisis merely postponing the inevitable.

The crisis was sparked off by the early-March resignation of finance minister John St Luce, who complained that the prime minister had turned down his proposals for restructuring the government. Vere Bird took over the finance portfolio, causing an uproar with his presentation of the budget to parliament, in which he merely read a brief summary of the 61-page document. The opposition claimed this was 'absolutely illegal' and 'unconstitutional'.


This was the signal for six other members of Bird's administration to join St Luce in demanding the restructuring of the government. Among them was the prime minister's son, deputy prime minister Lester Bird, who also held the foreign affairs, economic development, planning and tourism portfolios, and is the chairman of the ruling Antigua Labour Party (ALP). The others included minister Hugh Marshall (trade), Robin Yearwood (public utilities) and Eustace Cochrane (public works), and junior minister Henderson Simon (economic development and tourism).

* Lack of credibility

In letters to his father, Lester Bird said the credibility of the government was at its lowest point, 'with a deep cloud of suspicion hanging over the activities of certain ministers and civil servants.' He mentioned specifically the minister of agriculture Hilroy Humphreys, who was involved in the scandal over the trans-shipment of Israeli arms to Colombian drug traffickers (RC-90-06). He said Humphreys should be given the same treatment as Vere Bird Jr, the former public works minister implicated in the arms scandal, who was dismissed from the cabinet and barred for life from holding any public office.

Lester Bird warned that any delay in taking measures to restore the credibility of the ALP and of the government 'will do the government irreparable harm and spoil its prospects not only for re-election but even for finishing this term of office.'

The heat is on

Accusing Vere Bird of creating a constitutional crisis with his budget presentation, the 'rebels' called for his immediate retirement. They warned that they would resign if he refused to respond to public calls 'for a change in the leadership and direction of the government.'

In a quick pre-emptive move, the prime minister met the governor-general, Sir Wilfred Jacobs, to advise him that he planned a cabinet reshuffle. 'The heat is on, so I have to reshuffle,' he told journalists.

* Lester downgraded

On 14 March the prime minister announced that Lester Bird was no longer his deputy and was being moved to the finance ministry. Vere Bird said he had taken over the foreign affairs ministry, while government backbencher Rodney Williams was given responsibility for Lester Bird's economic development, planning and tourism portfolios.

Hugh Marshall, the 'rebel' trade minister, was given the new Caribbean and OAS affairs portfolio, being replaced at the trade, industry and energy ministry by Mowlyn Joseph, formerly the junior minister in the finance ministry. 'Rebels' Eustace Cochrane and Robin Yearwood retained their previous posts as ministers of public works and communications and of public utilities, respectively. Henderson Simon was also kept on as a junior minister.

* Making a deal

A day after the reshuffle, Lester Bird, Marshall and Simon announced their resignation from the cabinet, 'effective immediately'. They said that, in choosing to ignore'our legitimate requests', the prime minister 'demonstrates contempt for the people of Antigua and Barbuda and we will not be identified with this.'

But after the governor-general met separately with Vere Bird and Lester Bird, it was reported on 19 March that a deal may have been struck. It was said that Lester Bird had been offered his old planning portfolio in addition to the finance ministry. Former finance minister St Luce was offered the post of economic development and tourism minister. Marshall would remain as the Caribbean and OAS affairs minister. Henderson Simon's position was uncertain, with the junior minister saying that he had not been informed of any settlement.

* Nothing solved

Opposition leader Baldwin Spencer, who has described the cabinet reshuffle as a 'personal vendetta' against some ministers, has said that it 'solves nothing'. He has noted that 'it was done in desperation, it does not seriously deal with the question of restructuring in the government and moreover he (Vere Bird) has not addressed the question of deeprooted corruption in the administration,' adding that 'it will now be up to the people to intervene and use the planned (anti-corruption) demonstration on 23 March as a catalyst to ensure that we do something about these people.'

LESTER 'NOT POWER-HUNGRY'

Lester Bird has rejected opposition claims that he is gunning for his father (see main text) because he is 'power-hungry' and wants to take over as prime minister. 'I cannot conceive how it is perceived that I am power-hungry, that I only want power for myself,' he said during the mid-March debate in parliament on the budget. The chairman of the ruling ALP has also denied reports that he and fellow-rebels are planning to leave the ALP and form a new political party. 'Crossing the floor (. . .) does not really suit the situation,' he has said, ading that 'the fact that the prime minister does not agree with me and others is all part of the democratic process.'


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