Black man rising with the Black Caucus.

The Trinidad Black Caucus (TBC) is unapologetic in the singularity of its mission and determination to see the enlightenment and upliftment of individuals of African descent. Chairman of the Caucus, David Muhammed, was adamant that his organisation was an action oriented movement concerned about the social issues affecting black people.
“We are concerned about the things that affect black people: crime, the drug trade, landlessness and business ownership,” Muhammed said.
The Caucus, which was officially launched in March, has used the last five months to establish itself and co-ordinate its committees. Its headquarters can be found in Tunapuna at Auzonville Court and is open Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm daily.
In an interview with Muhammed, vice chairman of the Caucus, Muhummad Shabazz and special advisor, William Munroe, ‘People’ was able to get a clearer understanding of the philosophy of the Caucus.
In understanding the Caucus, it might be helpful to begin with what it is not — it is not a political party — and has a strong aversion to being labelled as one.
“Although the Caucus is concerned with influencing the outcome of political processes it has no ambition to contest an election or become a political party,” Muhammed said.
Instead the Caucus would like to perform as a “black political college” which, according to Muhammed, is a group of people who have an itemised agenda of the aims and objectives that they would like a political party to consider.
“We will have the power to withhold or lend our political support based on the willingness of the party or candidate to acknowledge these proposals,” he said. Muhammed said, “we have historically voted as individuals without any group power that this idea of influencing the electoral process without becoming a political party is rare.”
An example of the political change that the Caucus would like to create is local government reform that will address the number of constituents being represented by one Member of Parliament. According to Muhammed there are certain parts of the Caribbean where the candidate to constituent ratio is one Member of Parliament for every 5,000 people. However, he contends that in Trinidad that ratio is one Member of Parliament for every 31,700 people. In addition to which these Members of Parliament also have ministerial portfolios. He contends that this burden of responsibility is too heavy for one person and that the size of the constituencies need to be dramatically reduced.
Even though a political agenda exists this is not the main focus of the Caucus, this group has as a higher priority, the economic empowerment of black people. “We are awakening awareness in the black community through an economic perspective and we are doing things like the black business directory and forming coalitions among black farmers,” Shabazz said.
Munroe was equally supportive of this stance saying, “besides God the first power is economic power, if you notice people usually pursue politics after they have made a name for themselves economically and we are about giving black people economic power.”
Shabazz said that through wealth they will be able to create a voice for themselves. “We don’t have anybody speaking for us, every issue that comes up you can see somebody either DOMA speaking for businessmen or Gopio or some other organisation speaking, we need to have someone to represent the interest of black people.”
Muhammed said: “We are trying to create a private economy and there is no better way to start than in the area of food production and the ownership of land and real estate, people have already approached us about helping them achieve a higher level of success in relation to networking through agriculture.”
Munroe said that he wanted to dispel the myth that someone had to be rich to get into business. “If we mobilise and pool our resources we can secure economic visibility for ourselves.”
Asked about the exclusive nature of the caucus in Trinidad’s diverse society and to define the term “black” Muhammed replied: “When we look at the term, black generally refers to and is synonymous with African people. The use of the term black encompasses those who were victims of the system of slavery, ghettoisation, international and domestic colonialism, it is a general term and if we were to get really technical about it, it would be the most suitable term to use to describe African people.”
Shabazz said that there was no disguising the singularity of their cause. “The Chinese Association and others do not hide what their interests are and likewise we have no problem with saying that we are fighting the cause of the black man.”
They recognise the need for unity among the diverse races found in TT but are adamant that before they can stretch their hands out they must consolidate as a people.
“We are interested in holding hands with other people but a country is as strong as its weakest link so we must fortify ourselves before we do any thing else,” Shabazz said.
“We were black before we were Trinidadian,” Muhammed said, reiterating the point that a black person must understand who he is as a black person before he can understand what it is to be Trinidadian.
Muhammed said that he was pleased with this year’s Emancipation celebrations which he felt was growing from strength to strength.
He said that Emancipation should “represent the continual process of liberation since the after effects of the 400 years of dehumanisation took a lot longer to be completely eradicated.”
“Emancipation celebrations must therefore represent the evolutionary growth and development of the simple institutions that represent the people who were once slaves,” he said.
He noted that “it should also represent the heightened and expanded consciousness of an entire community who are challenged on a daily and consistent basis by impediments within the society that seek to return them to a condition of servitude.”
There are 11 committee’s which make up the TBC which will address health headed by Dr Graveney Richardson, law, justice and foreign affairs — Jessie Daniel, information, caucus affairs, research and development led by Roxanne Muhammad, education and youth —Stephen Smart, business and financial management headed by Geddes Hinds, arts and culture headed by Muhummad Shabazz, defence and emergency management — Brent Muhammad, agriculture — Shango Alamu, science and technology — Duane Muhammad, labour and mobilisation headed by Ernest Thompson, family life, housing and community development led by George Lynch.
Now that the TBC has organised its internal structure it is prepared to spread its message through public meetings that will be held throughout Trinidad beginning next month.