Robin Yearwood

Robin Yearwood 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.

Robin Yearwood
Leader of the Opposition
In office
2004–2006
Preceded byBaldwin Spencer
Succeeded bySteadroy Benjamin
Minister of Finance
In office
2003–2004
Preceded byLester Bird
Deputy Prime Minister
In office
9 September 2002 – 2004
Minister of Aviation, Public Information and Public Utilities
In office
1 January 1987 – 2004
Preceded byVere Bird, Jr.
Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries
In office
29 May 1980 – 1 January 1987
Personal details
NationalityAntiguan
Political partyAntigua Labour Party
Professionpolitician

Early career

Yearwood was first elected to Parliament in 1976, for the seat of St. Phillips North, which he still holds.[1] He entered Cabinet-level politics on 29 May 1980, when he was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries in the ALP government of Vere Bird.[2] He retained this position after the 1984 election,[3] and in 1986 led the construction of a new agricultural research laboratory, using equipment donated by China under a 1983 economic and technical cooperation pact.[4] A cabinet reshuffle on 1 January 1987 saw Yearwood replace Vere Bird, Jr., the Prime Minister's son, as Minister of Aviation, Public Information and Public Utilities, ceding his Agriculture portfolio to Hilroy Humphreys.[5] This followed controversy over Bird's construction of a new airport, which the opposition charged was "grossly inflated" in cost; retired Grenadian judge Sir Archibald Nedd was appointed to investigate the project and look for signs of wrongdoing.[6] This scandal threatened to topple the government, with eight ministers, including the Deputy Prime Minister, arguing that Vere Bird should have his son fired.[7]

Retaining his seat in the 1989 election, seeing off a challenge from Junie de Shalto,[8] he remained Minister of Aviation.[9] Following the 1991 budget proposal, described by members of the opposition as "illegal and unconstitutional", Yearwood was one of seven ALP Ministers to call for the Prime Minister's resignation;[10] despite the failure of this campaign, he retained his position in the Cabinet.[11] As Aviation Minister, Yearwood spearheaded a $2.8 million grant to LIATairline in an attempt to boost its recovery: a $1.4 million bank overdraft and a $1.4 million government loan.[12]

Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition

On 9 September 2002, Yearwood was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Antigua by Lester Bird in a reorganisation of the government aimed at tackling a series of corruption scandals; he retained his Aviation, Public Information and Public Utilities portfolio.[1] He announced that his focus would be on rebuilding Antigua's economy, switching from a reliance on the failing banana industry to a focus on tourism.[13] Following the resignation of five government members in protest at Bird's leadership, Bird he announced he was reshuffling the Cabinet, and handed Yearwood the position of Minister of Finance.[14] As Minister of Finance, Yearwood attended the 2003 International Monetary Fund conference as the Antiguan delegate,[15] and also met the Inter-American Economic Council's delegation when it visited Antigua in January 2004.[16]

The ALP lost their majority in the 2004 general election, and the United Progressive Party (UPP) under Baldwin Spencer took 14 of the 17 seats in Parliament.[17] Yearwood, as one of the few remaining ALP Parliamentarians, became Leader of the Opposition.[18] Appointed Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Yearwood strongly criticised the UPP budget, which was later approved.[19] In 2005 he, Lester Bird and Hugh Marshall, Sr. were charged with an illegal land sale while in government, with the UPP administration alleging that government property had been sold to a company owned by the three at below-market value.[20] In 2006, following a letter from three ALP Parliamentarians accusing him of "fuelling division within the party", Yearwood was removed as Leader of the Opposition and replaced by Steadroy Benjamin.[21] Despite this fall from grace he remains in Parliament, seeing off a challenge from Elmore Charles to retain his seat in the 2009 election.[22]

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References
  1. "Antigua: Prime Minister Bird appoints a deputy prime minister". BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. BBC. September 9, 2002.
  2. "new antigua government sworn in". Xinhua General News Service. May 1, 1980.
  3. "New Cabinet for Antigua and Barbuda". BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. BBC. April 23, 1984.
  4. "government laboratory opens in antigua and barbuda". The Xinhua General Overseas News Service. October 24, 1986.
  5. "Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda Reshuffled". The Xinhua General Overseas News Service. 1 January 1987.
  6. "Antigua-Barbuda: Prime Minister Bird Reshuffles Cabinet". BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. BBC. January 3, 1987.
  7. Knox, Paul (August 31, 1987). "Scandal shakes grip of leader in Antigua". The Globe and Mail.
  8. "ANTIGUA: ELECTION DAYA MAINLY ONE-SEX-ONLY SHOW". IPS-Inter Press Service. March 13, 1989.
  9. "antigua and barbuda cabinet sworn-in". The Xinhua General Overseas News Service. March 13, 1989.
  10. Hackett, Charmaine (March 12, 1991). "Antigua and Barbuda: Political Crisis Looms Ahead". IPS-Inter Press Service.
  11. "People in Power: Antigua & Barbuda". Cambridge International Reference on Current Affairs. January 1999.
  12. "LIAT is Back". Cana Business. February 1, 2000.
  13. "Antigua: New deputy prime minister to focus on rebuilding the economy". BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. BBC. September 12, 2002.
  14. "Antigua's prime minister gives up finance portfolio, takes public works". Associated Press Worldstream. June 26, 2003.
  15. "IMF Delegates - Latin and North America". Euromoney. September 2003.
  16. "Council Concludes Successful Congressional Visit to St. Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda". U.S. Newswire. January 20, 2004.
  17. Wilson, Mark (March 25, 2004). "Antiguans cheer as election ousts ruling dynasty". The Daily Telegraph.
  18. "Antigua: New parliament session opens with swearing-in ceremony". BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. BBC. March 30, 2004.
  19. "Antigua: Parliament approves "transitional" budget; Senate still to debate it". BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. BBC. April 8, 2004.
  20. James, Colin (October 11, 2005). "Antigua's government sues former prime minister, two ex-officials in alleged illegal land sale". AP Worldstream.
  21. "Antigua governor-general appoints new opposition leader". BBC Monitoring Latin America - Political. BBC Worldwide Monitoring. January 5, 2006.
  22. "Antigua's ruling party on course for reelection". BBC Monitoring Latin America - Political. BBC Worldwide Monitoring. March 13, 2009.
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