{{Short description|Antiguan businessman (1944–2024)}} {{Use British English|date=December 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} '''Ivor Grenville Theophilus Bird''' (29 February 1944 – 3 December 2024) was an Antiguan businessman and the son of Vere Bird, one-time Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://antiguanewsroom.com/veteran-broadcaster-ivor-bird-passes-away-at-80/ |title=Ivor Bird Passes Away at 80 |date=3 December 2024 |work=Antigua News Room}}</ref>
Bird was a high jumper and he was the last gold medallist in that event at the British West Indies Championships in 1965. His brother, Lester Bird, was also a track athlete and former champion at this competition.<ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/bwic.htm British West Indies Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 21 March 2015.</ref> Ivor Bird also represented Antigua and Barbuda in high jump at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thecgf.com/games/results.asp?gameid=3036&sportid=1471 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109184920/http://www.thecgf.com/games/results.asp?gameid=3036&sportid=1471 |archive-date=9 January 2017 |title=Commonwealth Games Federation |access-date=8 January 2017}}</ref>
The director of ZDK, Antigua's government broadcasting system,<ref>{{cite news|title=For truth and right, 8 Cabinet ministers oppose Antigua PM|last=Knox|first=Paul|date=1 September 1987|work=The Globe and Mail|publisher=The Globe and Mail Inc.}}</ref> in 1995 Bird was caught smuggling 10 kg of cocaine through V. C. Bird International Airport with an accomplice, Marcus Alberto Chapman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Younger Brother Of Prime Minister Lester Bird Is Arrested On Cocaine Charges|last=Massiah|first=David|date=7 May 1995|work=Associated Press Worldstream|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> He was formally charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to both sell and transfer by Judge Mario Ducillo, and released on 50,000 East Caribbean dollars bail.<ref>{{cite news|title=Prime Minister Lester Bird Promises No Intervention In Brother's Arrest|last=Massiah|first=David|date=8 May 1995|work=Associated Press Worldstream|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> Having pleaded not guilty, he was represented by John Platts-Mills, Steadroy Benjamin, and David Toms, Jr.;<ref>{{cite news|title=Ivor Bird's Pleads Not Guilty|date=11 May 1995|work=Associated Press Worldstream|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> despite this representation, he was convicted on 15 May 1995 following 45 minutes of deliberations. He was ordered to either pay a fine of 200,000 dollars or face two years in jail, and paid the fine shortly before the court closed;<ref>{{cite news|title=Younger Brother Of Prime Minister Lester Bird Is Convicted On Drug Charges|last=Derrick|first=Winston|date=16 May 1995|work=Associated Press Worldstream|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> he continued to serve as head of ZDK.<ref>{{cite news|title=Antigua radio station back on air after dispute with state-owned utilities company|date=26 October 2004|work=Associated Press Worldstream|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
On 3 December 2024, Bird was found dead at his residence in Halcyon Heights.<ref>{{cite news |title=Antiguan media pioneer Ivor Bird passes away |url=https://antiguaobserver.com/antiguan-media-pioneer-ivor-bird-passes-away/ |access-date=4 December 2024 |work=Antigua Observer |date=4 December 2024}}</ref> He was 79.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{discogs artist|Ivor Bird (2)}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bird, Ivor}} Category:1944 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Antigua and Barbuda businesspeople Category:Antigua and Barbuda drug traffickers Ivor Category:Children of prime ministers Category:Antigua and Barbuda men high jumpers Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Antigua and Barbuda Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games