By Neto Baptiste
As the contract bridge fraternity continues to mourn the passing of president of the Antigua Contract Bridge Association (ACBA) Deverel Forde, who died over the weekend at the age of 64, one member of the fraternity remembers the former player as jovial but straight-forward.
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo sports show, longstanding player Edward Baynes said Forde, who ran the association alongside former Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador to Ethiopia, Franklyn ‘King Frank-I’ Francis, prior to his passing in 2021, will be missed.
“We are offering our condolences to the family of Deverel ‘Big Brother’ Forde on his passing, and I’d also like to say that we have known him to be a very jovial and straight-forward, black-conscious person, and of course, he will be very well missed,” he said.
Reports are that Forde passed away early Sunday (December 17) at his home in Coolidge. It is unclear what caused his death.
Baynes said the other members of the fraternity will do all in their power to ensure the association remains in good stead.
“We have had a few new players and we’re looking to do some recruiting in the New Year, but I just want to say that contract bridge is still alive and we’re hoping next year that we can get some new numbers,” he said.
Forde was instrumental in the country’s hosting of the OECS Contract Bridge tournament held in April at the Multipurpose and Exhibition Cultural Center at Perry Bay.
