Adrian Cola Rienzi
Encyclopedia
Adrian Cola Rienzi was a Trinidad and Tobago
trade union
ist, politician
and lawyer
. He founded both the Oilfields Workers Trade Union and the All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union
, and was involved in the establishment of three other trade unions. He was also the first president of the Trinidad and Tobago Trades Union Council, from its foundation in 1938 until 1944. In addition to working for workers rights, Rienzi also worked hard for the rights of Indo-Trinidadian
s. He helped secure more employment of Indo-Trinidadians in the public service, the right to cremation, the recognition of Hindu
and Muslim
marriage
s and the establishment of schools by non-Christian
religious groups. Rienzi also served four terms on the San Fernando
Borough Council (three as Mayor of San Fernando) and represented Victoria
on the Legislative Council
from 1937-1944. He then worked in the public service as a Crown Counsel.
. His father, Deonarine Tiwari, squandered his inheritance, and was forced to move the family to San Fernando. Krishna attended Naparima College
, but his family's financial problems forced him to drop out during Form 3. He found employment with J.C. Hobson, a prominent lawyer
. Hobson encouraged Deonarine intellectually and lent him books from which he learned about Cola di Rienzo
, fourteenth century Italian
activist and patriot. In 1927 Deonarine changed his name to Adrian Cola Rienzi, naming himself after British
magistrate
Adrian Clarke and Cola di Rienzo.
The Rienzi-Kirton Highway in San Fernando is named partly in honour of him. It is the only highway in Trinidad and Tobago named for an Indo-Trinidadian.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. He founded both the Oilfields Workers Trade Union and the All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union
All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union
All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union, founded by Adrian Cola Rienzi was the major sugar workers' trade union and the predominant Indo-Trinidadian voice in organised labour in Trinidad and Tobago between the 1930s and 1970s...
, and was involved in the establishment of three other trade unions. He was also the first president of the Trinidad and Tobago Trades Union Council, from its foundation in 1938 until 1944. In addition to working for workers rights, Rienzi also worked hard for the rights of Indo-Trinidadian
Indo-Trinidadian
Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian are nationals of Trinidad and Tobago of Indian or other South Asian ancestry.Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians has now become interchangeable with Indians or East Indians. These were people who were taken from India by the British either as workers or educated...
s. He helped secure more employment of Indo-Trinidadians in the public service, the right to cremation, the recognition of Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
s and the establishment of schools by non-Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
religious groups. Rienzi also served four terms on the San Fernando
San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
The City of San Fernando with a population of 55,419 according to the 2000 census, is the larger of Trinidad and Tobago's two cities and the second largest municipality after Chaguanas. It occupies 18 km² and is located in the southwestern part of the island of Trinidad...
Borough Council (three as Mayor of San Fernando) and represented Victoria
Victoria, Trinidad and Tobago
Victoria is a county in Trinidad and Tobago. It covers 813 km2 and is divided into five wards. It is bordered on the north by the county of Caroni, the south by the county of Saint Patrick, and in the east by the counties of Mayaro and Nariva. To the west it borders the Gulf of Paria. The...
on the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago
The Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago served as an advisory commission to the Governor in British-ruled Trinidad and Tobago, between 1925 and independence in 1961. The Legislative Council consisted of a mixture of appointed and elected members...
from 1937-1944. He then worked in the public service as a Crown Counsel.
Early life
Krishna Deonarine was born in the village of Palmyra, just east of San FernandoSan Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
The City of San Fernando with a population of 55,419 according to the 2000 census, is the larger of Trinidad and Tobago's two cities and the second largest municipality after Chaguanas. It occupies 18 km² and is located in the southwestern part of the island of Trinidad...
. His father, Deonarine Tiwari, squandered his inheritance, and was forced to move the family to San Fernando. Krishna attended Naparima College
Naparima College
Naparima College is a secondary school for teenaged males in Trinidad and Tobago. Located in San Fernando, the school was founded in 1894, but did not receive official recognition until 1900. The was established by Dr. Kenneth J. Grant, a Canadian Presbyterian missionary working among the Indian...
, but his family's financial problems forced him to drop out during Form 3. He found employment with J.C. Hobson, a prominent lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. Hobson encouraged Deonarine intellectually and lent him books from which he learned about Cola di Rienzo
Cola di Rienzo
Cola di Rienzo was an Italian medieval politician and popular leader, tribune of the Roman people in the mid-14th century.-Early career:Cola was born in Rome of humble origins...
, fourteenth century Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
activist and patriot. In 1927 Deonarine changed his name to Adrian Cola Rienzi, naming himself after British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
Adrian Clarke and Cola di Rienzo.
The Rienzi-Kirton Highway in San Fernando is named partly in honour of him. It is the only highway in Trinidad and Tobago named for an Indo-Trinidadian.