Riot police deployed in Antigua

ST JOHN’S, Antigua: Riot police armed with tear gas deployed yesterday outside Parliament where opposition protesters gathered as legislators met for the first since Antigua embattled leader temporarily lost his majority in the legislature. The protest, organised by the main opposition United Progressive Party, called for Prime Minister Lester Bird to face a no-confidence vote. Bird, whose family has led Antigua since its independence from Britain in 1981, has said he would rather call early elections by October. Bird has been plagued by rumors of corruption, and a sex scandal since a girl charged he and his brother had sex with her when she was 12. A government-appointed commission found no wrongdoing. Yesterday, about 30 protesters stood near the driveway leading to Parliament and refused to move despite repeated requests from 20 regular officers and 30 riot officers armed with tear gas. Public Safety Minister Steadroy Benjamin finally instructed that the riot police be called off.

Eight legislators from Bird’s Antigua Labour Party showed up for Yesterday’s session — just enough for a quorum. It was the first Parliament meeting since four of 12 governing party legislators resigned June 17, stripping Bird of his majority and demanding a no-confidence vote. One dissident legislator later returned to Bird’s party, giving it a one-seat edge. Bird himself was absent, attending a Caribbean summit in Jamaica. Outside Parliament, four opposition legislators and the three newly independent dissident legislators boycotted yesterday’s session. The 17th legislator, from a third party on the sister island of Barbuda, was absent. Inside, the Election and Boundaries Commission presented a report saying it would not make changes to the 17 constituencies before new elections. Meanwhile, a monthlong re-registration of eligible voters began Tuesday among the 70,000 residents — one that the opposition hopes will weed out names of people long dead.