Order of the National Hero (Antigua and Barbuda)

The Order of the National Hero was first established and constituted by the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda under the National Heroes Act 1994.^[2] This Act was repealed and the Order was re-established and re-constituted under the National Honours Act 1998,^[1] which was amended in 2000,^[3] 2001^[4] and 2015.^[5] Persons who were members of the Order before the 1998 Act came into force became Knights or Dames Companion of Order.

The Order is composed of the Sovereign, Chancellor and one single class of Knights Companion (KNH) or Dames Companion (DNH).

The Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda is ex officio Chancellor of the Order. Membership is open to only citizens of Antigua and Barbuda and there may be no more than three living members at any one time.

Officers

The Order has four officers who compose the Chancery of the Order, as follows:

• Chancellor
• Secretary General
• Antigua Herald
• Barbuda Herald

Appointments to the Order are made by the Chancellor on the advice of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and the Honours Committee established under the 1998 Act. The Honours Committee consists of a person appointed by the Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda, two Members of the Senate of Antigua and Barbuda and four Members of the House of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda. The Governor General appoints the Chairperson of the Honours Committee from amongst its members.

Posthumous appointments to the Order may be made, but a deceased recipient does not appear on the current list of members of the Order.

New appointments are announced on the occasion of the Independence Day of Antigua and Barbuda (1 November). The Grand Master conducts investitures at Government House in St John's.

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Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda

Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda

The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda is the head of government of the country.

Senate (Antigua and Barbuda)

Senate (Antigua and Barbuda)

The Senate is the Upper House of Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda. It consists of 17 members appointed by the Governor General. Ten members are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, four on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, one on the advice of the Barbuda Council, one resident of Barbuda on the advice of the Prime Minister, and one at the Governor General's discretion. The current Senate convened on 26 March 2018, following the general election of 21 March.

House of Representatives (Antigua and Barbuda)

House of Representatives (Antigua and Barbuda)

The House of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral parliament.

Public holidays in Antigua and Barbuda

Public holidays in Antigua and Barbuda

This article is about public holidays in Antigua and Barbuda.

Government House, Antigua and Barbuda

Government House, Antigua and Barbuda

Government House, St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda, is the official residence and office of the Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda. It was built in the 17th Century Colonial style with Georgian architecture and extensive gardens. The residence is not open to the public.

St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda

St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda

St. John's is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, part of the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. With a population of 22,219, St. John's is the commercial centre of the nation and the chief port of the island of Antigua.

Titles

In Antigua and Barbuda, Knights Companion of the Order may use the title "Sir" in front of their forename, and their wives may use the title "Lady" in front of their husband's surname. Similarly, Dames Companion of the Order may use the title "Dame" in front of their forename. No specific privilege exists for their husbands.

Permission to use these titles outside Antigua and Barbuda is the prerogative of each relevant jurisdiction. For instance, British citizens, including dual citizens, who are Knights and Dames of non-British orders of chivalry may not as a matter of official policy use their titles in the United Kingdom.^[6]

Post-nominals and precedence

Members of the Order are entitled to place post-nominals after their names as indicated above. They are also assigned a place in the order of precedence of Antigua and Barbuda.

Heraldic privileges

Knights and Dames Companion may petition for heraldic supporters to be granted to their arms. They may also encircle their arms with a circlet bearing the motto of the Order and the pendent insignia of the Order may be shown below the arms.

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Vere Bird

Vere Bird

Sir Vere Cornwall Bird, KNH was the first Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. His son, Lester Bryant Bird, succeeded him as Prime Minister. In 1994, he was declared a "National Hero".

Prince Klaas

Prince Klaas

Prince Klaas, also known as King Court, Tackey, or by his African name, Kwaku, was an Antiguan slave, who was a posthumous recipient of the Most Exalted Order of the National Hero.

Nellie Robinson

Nellie Robinson

Dame Nellie Robinson, DNH, MBE,, was an Antiguan teacher and school founder who was a pioneer in education. She broke down colour and class barriers, believing that all children should have access to learning. As of 2017, she was the only woman to have received the Order of the National Hero from the government of Antigua and Barbuda.

Viv Richards

Viv Richards

Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards is an Antiguan retired cricketer who represented the West Indies cricket team between 1974 and 1991. Batting generally at number three in a dominant West Indies side, Richards is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time.

George Walter

George Walter

Sir George Herbert Walter, KNH was an Antiguan politician of the Progressive Labour Movement and Premier of Antigua and Barbuda from 14 February 1971 to 1 February 1976.

Lester Bird

Lester Bird

Sir Lester Bryant Bird KNH was an Antigua and Barbuda politician and athlete who served as the second prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda from 1994 to 2004. He was chairman of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) from 1971 to 1983, then became prime minister when his father, Sir Vere Bird, the previous prime minister, resigned.