Albert Gomes
Encyclopedia
Albert Maria Gomes a Trinidad and Tobago
unionist
, politician
, and writer of Portuguese
descent, was the first Chief Minister
of Trinidad and Tobago. He was the founder of the Political Progress Groups and later led the Party of Political Progress Groups. He was active in the formation of the Democratic Labour Party
in Trinidad and Tobago and played a role in forcing Sir Alexander Bustamante
out of the Federal
Democratic Labour Party
. Gomes briefly led DLP in 1960 when factions loyal to briefly ousted Rudranath Capildeo
after Capildeo left Trinidad and Tobago to take up a position at the University of London
. However, the rank and file of the party stood behind Capildeo and Gomes left the party.
Albert Gomes was born in Belmont, Port of Spain. His father had immigrated from Madeira in 1892; his mother's family had arrived in Trinidad in 1878 via Nevis
and Antigua
. After completing secondary school
Gomes studied journalism
at City College of New York
between 1928 and 1930. Returning to Trinidad Gomes established a literary magazine
called The Beacon, the first of its kind in the country and whose contributors included CLR James, Alfred Mendes and Ralph de Boissière
. The Beacon was controversial and iconoclastic, and helped set the stage for Gomes' future work.
Gomes published The Beacon for three years until his father (who had financed the magazine) forced him to stop. He was installed in a pharmacy
owned by his father, and for the next six years Gomes developed his connection with the working class. Gomes established a reputation as a writer for the Trinidad Guardian and through public lectures and work with the labour movement. In 1938, after the Labour riots of the previous year, he was elected to the Port of Spain City Council. Gomes served on the Council for nine years and was Deputy Mayor
for three years. In 1947 he lost his seat. In 1945, he was elected the Legislative Council in a by-election. He was reelected to the revamped Legislative Council in 1946 as a member of the West Indian National Party
(WINP) for Port of Spain North. He retained that position until the 1956 General Elections when Eric Williams
and the People's National Movement
swept to power.
During the 1940s, Gomes was the President of the Federated Workers' Trade Union (FWTU) with Quintin O'Connor
as the Secretary. Their success building up the FWTU was critical to the establishment of unionism in Trinidad and Tobago.
In 1958, Gomes was elected to the parliament
of the short-lived West Indies Federation
.
After independence in 1962 Gomes was subject to heavy criticism by Eric Williams and the PNM. He left Trinidad and Tobago and settled in the United Kingdom
where he died. His achievements are largely unrecognised and he has faded from the popular consciousness of Trinidad and Tobago.
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...
unionist
Unionist
-United Kingdom:In the United Kingdom, British unionists are those people and political organisations who wish their area to remain or become part of the United Kingdom...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and writer of Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
descent, was the first Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of Trinidad and Tobago. He was the founder of the Political Progress Groups and later led the Party of Political Progress Groups. He was active in the formation of the Democratic Labour Party
Democratic Labour Party (Trinidad and Tobago)
The Democratic Labour Party was the main opposition party in Trinidad and Tobago between 1957 and 1971. The party was the party which opposed the People's National Movement at the time of Independence...
in Trinidad and Tobago and played a role in forcing Sir Alexander Bustamante
Alexander Bustamante
Sir William Alexander Clarke Bustamante GBE, National Hero of Jamaica was a Jamaican politician and labour leader....
out of the Federal
West Indies Federation
The West Indies Federation, also known as the Federation of the West Indies, was a short-lived Caribbean federation that existed from January 3, 1958, to May 31, 1962. It consisted of several Caribbean colonies of the United Kingdom...
Democratic Labour Party
Democratic Labour Party (West Indies Federation)
The Democratic Labour Party was one of the two Federal parties in the short-lived West Indies Federation. The party was organised by Sir Alexander Bustamante to counter the West Indies Federal Labour Party led by his cousin Norman Manley....
. Gomes briefly led DLP in 1960 when factions loyal to briefly ousted Rudranath Capildeo
Rudranath Capildeo
Dr. Rudranath Capildeo was a Trinidad and Tobago politician and mathematician. He was the Leader of the Democratic Labour Party from 1960–1969 and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament from 1961–1963, succeeding Ashford Sinanan. He was also a faculty member at the University of London, eventually...
after Capildeo left Trinidad and Tobago to take up a position at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. However, the rank and file of the party stood behind Capildeo and Gomes left the party.
Albert Gomes was born in Belmont, Port of Spain. His father had immigrated from Madeira in 1892; his mother's family had arrived in Trinidad in 1878 via Nevis
Nevis
Nevis is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 350 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico and 80 km west of Antigua. The 93 km² island is part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies...
and Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
. After completing secondary school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
Gomes studied journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
at City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
between 1928 and 1930. Returning to Trinidad Gomes established a literary magazine
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
called The Beacon, the first of its kind in the country and whose contributors included CLR James, Alfred Mendes and Ralph de Boissière
Ralph de Boissière
Ralph Anthony Charles de Boissière was an Trinidad-born Australian social realist novelist.Ralph de Boissière was born in Port of Spain, the son of Armand de Boissière, a solicitor, and Maude Harper, an English woman who died three weeks later...
. The Beacon was controversial and iconoclastic, and helped set the stage for Gomes' future work.
Gomes published The Beacon for three years until his father (who had financed the magazine) forced him to stop. He was installed in a pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
owned by his father, and for the next six years Gomes developed his connection with the working class. Gomes established a reputation as a writer for the Trinidad Guardian and through public lectures and work with the labour movement. In 1938, after the Labour riots of the previous year, he was elected to the Port of Spain City Council. Gomes served on the Council for nine years and was Deputy Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
for three years. In 1947 he lost his seat. In 1945, he was elected the Legislative Council in a by-election. He was reelected to the revamped Legislative Council in 1946 as a member of the West Indian National Party
West Indian National Party
The West Indian National Party was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It contested the 1976 general elections, but received just 1,242 votes and failed to win a seat. It did not contest any further elections....
(WINP) for Port of Spain North. He retained that position until the 1956 General Elections when Eric Williams
Eric Williams
Eric Eustace Williams served as the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He served from 1956 until his death in 1981. He was also a noted Caribbean historian, and is widely regarded as "The Father of The Nation."...
and the People's National Movement
People's National Movement
The People's National Movement is the present-day opposition political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 1955 by Eric Williams, it won the 1956 General Elections and went on to hold power for an unbroken 30 years. After the death of Williams in 1981 George Chambers led the party...
swept to power.
During the 1940s, Gomes was the President of the Federated Workers' Trade Union (FWTU) with Quintin O'Connor
Quintin O'Connor
Quintin O'Connor was a union leader, activist, and politician in colonial Trinidad and Tobago from the 1930s to the late 1950s. He played an essential role in the institutionalization of unionism in Trinidad and was an early proponent of Trinidadian independence.-Personal Life:Quintin O’Connor was...
as the Secretary. Their success building up the FWTU was critical to the establishment of unionism in Trinidad and Tobago.
In 1958, Gomes was elected to the parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
of the short-lived West Indies Federation
West Indies Federation
The West Indies Federation, also known as the Federation of the West Indies, was a short-lived Caribbean federation that existed from January 3, 1958, to May 31, 1962. It consisted of several Caribbean colonies of the United Kingdom...
.
After independence in 1962 Gomes was subject to heavy criticism by Eric Williams and the PNM. He left Trinidad and Tobago and settled in the United Kingdom
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...
where he died. His achievements are largely unrecognised and he has faded from the popular consciousness of Trinidad and Tobago.
Publications
- Gomes, Albert. 1973. I am an Immigrant. Pp. 53-59 in Caribbean Essays: An Anthology, Andrew Salkey, ed. Evans Brothers Ltd., London.
- Gomes, Albert. 1974. Through a Maze of Colour. Key Caribbean Publications, Port of Spain. (Autobiography)
- Gomes, Albert. 1978. All Papa's Children. Cairi Publishing House, Surrey. (Novel)
External links
- Missing in Action - an essay by Jeremy Taylor in Caribbean Beat.