ABLP to Ivor Bird: ‘ZDK needs to come back home’

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By Carl Joseph

Sean Bird has drawn the ire of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) with the recent announcements of his interest in the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) and, maybe more importantly, his plan to “de-link” Grenville Radio Limited. (more commonly known as ZDK) – the 50-year-old institution that has been synonymous with the Labour Party since its inception.

“I can’t tell you what to do,” said ABLP Chairman E.P Chet Greene this past Monday to ZDK Radio founding member, Ivor G.T. Bird as a visibly upset Greene addressed the lingering issue of recent proclamations made by Ivor’s son, Sean Bird.

“I can’t [even] tell you how to do it,” Green went on, “but your presence here this morning bears testimony to one fact and one fact, if nothing else…that you are prepared to honour, defend and promote your father [Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Sr] and his legacy.”

Sean, who has been the managing director at ZDK since taking over from his father in October of 2018, has since made declarations that the historically “red” or “Labour” radio station must now make a shift in its politics “towards the middle” in order for it to be financially viable given the state of present economy.

On the 50th anniversary of the station, Sean took to the airways and expressed that, “whereas before ZDK was really linked to the hip of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, we needed to survive… we need to be more commercial. So we’ve come a little more center with the understanding of meeting the market demands.”

Sean went further to say that, upon the ABLP’s resumption of governance in 2014 that his father had written to the new Cabinet members and the response came back, “scratch out the name ‘18th candidate’.”

His father, Ivor, had even said in the past that the newly-installed administration had been treating ZDK radio “like dogs”.

Greene then felt the need to address Ivor Bird directly: “In defending Sir Vere and his legacy it means recognition that ZDK is the 18th candidate, and has to come back home.”

Read more in the Daily OBSERVER.

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