Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

123 course of our history. It is a political party that has survived all these years and today he carries the title ‘Chief Servant’ with NJAC as one of the members of the coalition government in T&T. ALBERT GOMES (1911-1978) A s a Belmont boy, he attended Pamphylian High School and later attended high school in England. He was one of the most important political people before the rise of Dr. Eric Williams and was a strong supporter of the calypso and steelband culture, as well as the arts. He is credited with encouraging artists like Boscoe Holder, Carlyle Chang and Sybil Atteck. He was also a writer and journalist. He was a founder of the Federated Workers Trade Union in 1937 and was an elected member of the Port of Spain City Council from 1938-1947 as well as the deputy mayor of Port of Spain from 1944- 1947, member of the Legislative Council from 1945-1956 and Member of Parliament from 1958-1962. He then migrated to Britain. His writings include his autobiography Through a Maze of Colour (1974) and a novel, All Papa’s Children (1978). ALPHONSO P. T. JAMES (1901-1962) T obago-born, also called “Fargo”, he was always fighting for the best interests of Tobago having served in the Legislative Council from 1946 to 1961. As a trade unionist he was one of the founders of the Federated Workers Trade Union. His hard work on behalf of Tobago resulted in, to name a few, getting the electricity service established in the island, having a new, larger “Hillsborough” Dam built, and a deep- water harbour at Scarborough. In 1993 he was awarded the Chaconia Medal Gold.