Albert Gomes

Albert Maria Gomes (b. Port of Spain, March 25, 1911, died January 13, 1978), a Trinidad and Tobago labour leader, 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 as a member of the West Indian National Party he was elected to the Legislative Council 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.

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.