09/12/2025
Sir Vere Cornwall Bird KNH, Papa Bird as he was affectionately known to the nation, was born on 9 December 1909. He was the first Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda.
Papa Bird was an officer in the Salvation Army for two years. In 1943, he became the president of the Antigua Trades and Labour Union. He achieved national acclaim politically for the first time when he was elected to the colonial legislature in 1945. He formed the Antigua Labour Party and became the first and only chief minister, first and last premier, and first prime minister from 1981 to 1994.
In 1965, together with premiers Errol Barrow of Barbados and Forbes Burnham of Guyana, Papa Bird brought the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) into being. That Association later led to the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), comprising 12 of the English-speaking Caribbean countries, two more than were members of the West Indies Federation.
On 1 November 1981, Papa Bird became the first Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. He led his party to an election victory in 1984 in which the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) won all the Antiguan seats in the Legislature.
In 1985, Coolidge International Airport, Antigua's international airport, was renamed V.C. Bird International Airport in Papa Bird's honour.
In 1994, Bird was made a Knight of the Order of the National Hero (KNH) by his native country Antigua and Barbuda.
In that same year, 1994, Papa Bird was declared a "National Hero"/
Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Sr. (KNH) died in St. John's at 6:58pm on 28 June 1999 at the age of 90 years.
Today, we celebrate the contributions, achievements and legacy of Papa Bird on V.C. Bird Day, recognized annually on December 9th.
HAPPY V.C. BIRD DAY!
Video credit: Silent C Media Antigua YT Channel
