V C Bird Monument
The first Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Vere Cornwall Bird, was born in St John's in 1910. He was elected Prime Minister in 1981 and served until 1994. Bird led the twin-island republic from a colony. of Britain into an independent nation during that period of time.
Many consider Bird the father of the nation, and tributes to him can be found all over Antigua (the international airport, for example, has been renamed in his honor). That is the patriotism of the people of Antigua and Barbuda, they honor a talented leader of the nation. However, no place shines as brightly or prominently as the VC Bird Monument.
This colorful bust of VC Bird sits in front of the downtown St John's public market. Andres Gonzalez, a Cuban artist, conceived and sculpted the memorial, which was inaugurated in 2002, just three years after Bird's death. The statue is 10 meters (33 feet) tall and represents a middle-aged Bird that is fitted with a hands-on chest (he is 2.1 meters or seven feet tall). A black pineapple, a fruit famous as a delicacy and specialty of the island, lay beside him. Come to Antigua and Barbuda to visit the statue of this revered leader.
Location: St. John's, Antigua, and Barbuda.
