Black Caucus

[zoom rader]

The fear that this organization is generating a sign that it really would be successful if fulfilled.

Members equating it to the KKK plus ZR & UML's irrational ramblings are a clear indication. The more they bash, the more the right people are paying attention.

What fear, black organisations with PNM influence are always doomed for failure.

PNM Black man in trini don't like to see other black men become successful.
Successful black men in trini have very little to do with PNM.

[RASC]

So if this is true. Its an open and shut case.

No need to harp on it
No need for you to discuss further
No need to even think about it

However all you can seem to do is speak about it. Why?

[desifemlove]

he scared.....only logical reason...

[zoom rader]

So if this is true. Its an open and shut case.

No need to harp on it
No need for you to discuss further
No need to even think about it

However all you can seem to do is speak about it. Why?

Cause the general public needs to know not to let PNM ppl into their organisations and committees.

[orangefox]

Here's the thing...

A party needs two things: money and votes. As it is now, all the PNM really have to focus most of their energy on is campaign financing. Why? because they know they have Laventille East/Morvart, Laventille West, Diego Martin Central and other constituencies in the bag already. They don't have to WORK for their votes. They just go in these areas, mamaguy them a bit, bawl Kamla bad, say PNM shall prevail and they get their votes. At least in our recent political history, there have been new marginal seats so parties in general have no choice but to work for the votes in these areas.

What the black caucus should do is to learn from the successes of the LGBT movement, women's organizations plus other movements in the United States. These movements are not "republican" or "democratic" in nature. These parties come to them seeking for their support (chiefly votes). Whichever party have the best option, the movement will throw support behind them. Once that is done, that party and by extension the opposing party HAVE to listen to them, and if they don't, the movement have complementing pressure groups and lobbyists to deal with them.

The black caucus needs to be a legitimate pressure group that have their own financing, and better yet, in control of a percentage of the votes that can change the outcome of an election. They should not be supporting any political party until they hear both sides where a decision will then be made. They have to reach a position where political parties have to come to THEM... whether it is for financing, votes, or both. In trinidad, the Syrian group for example just have the financing but not votes (small numbers since it's a small clique). Contractors have the financing but not the votes. The SDMS have some supporters (votes) but not enough financing. In america, women's organizations and the LGBT have both financing and votes (hence the main reason why Obama won the last presidential election). Many civil rights groups have the votes but don't have the financing. Whoever is elected, the politicians will have to do what was agreed on, and if they don't, they will feel the brunt from other pressure groups and organizations.

From history, i can safely say that the PNM is NOT for the afro voters in T&T. The organization WILL be successful once they don't support the PNM blindly and allow PNM members walking in and out of the organization. Once the PNM controls them, they are done... and would just be viewed as a PNM sub group which some of us here are trying to point out. If they just HOPE that the PNM will do something for them if they get into government, like how Laventille, East POS and the Beetham has been doing for decades, they are done.

Your real name is Farrakhan ?

[desifemlove]

what sheit yuh talking? what dis got to do wit PNM? i doh get yuh vex for Beetham wanting to better itself.....

[orangefox]

what sheit yuh talking? what dis got to do wit PNM? i doh get yuh vex for Beetham wanting to better itself.....

Will never happen .. You dreaming ?
We happy

[The_Honourable]

Farrakhan!? he not easy lol

Again, i wish the black caucus success and i believe once they are not influenced by the PNM, and become a powerful pressure group by themselves, they will be successful in getting things done for the black community in T&T. They must always seek the interests of the black community and not themselves.

what sheit yuh talking? what dis got to do wit PNM? i doh get yuh vex for Beetham wanting to better itself.....

I think most people want Beetham, Laventille and other areas like these to better themselves. But if these areas believe that the PNM is going to help them where history has constantly showed them they haven't... well... carry on...

[orangefox]

Farrakhan!? he not easy lol

Again, i wish the black caucus success and i believe once they are not influenced by the PNM, and become a powerful pressure group by themselves, they will be successful in getting things done for the black community in T&T. They must always seek the interests of the black community and not themselves.

what sheit yuh talking? what dis got to do wit PNM? i doh get yuh vex for Beetham wanting to better itself.....

I think most people want Beetham, Laventille and other areas like these to better themselves. But if these areas believe that the PNM is going to help them where history has constantly showed them they haven't... well... carry on...

Well said ...

Over 50 years now and .. ... well .. carry on ..

Desi too naive.

[RASC]

So if this is true. Its an open and shut case.

No need to harp on it
No need for you to discuss further
No need to even think about it

However all you can seem to do is speak about it. Why?

Cause the general public needs to know not to let PNM ppl into their organisations and committees.

Well I think everyone who is anti PNM will thank you for your insight and helping save them.

[Ted_v2]

Just read the first post.

Hema ramkisson rather bess

[The_Honourable]

Resignations Hits Munro's Black Caucus

The Resignations

TWO most influential Directors: David Muhammad and Harvey Borris ("I love my country") of the local Chapter of the BLACK CAUCUS has tendered their resignations expressing ideological differences within. Isha Wells had also resigned but many moons ago. Their resignation are most likely to send shockwaves throughout the organization causing others to follow.

WILLIAM MUNRO has over the years played a very great role in the birth of the local African majority Black Caucus but because of several intellectual differences and or ideologies in the manner and direction the local organization is to move forward has failed to keep the organization and prominent influential individuals growing together and strong with said local Chapter.

GLADIATOR Resigned Too

I, personally, can recall back in the last quarter of 2014 at the residence of Mr Munro, located in Laventille, when I was pursued by Mr Munro to join the Black Caucus. I requested information of the Caucus' aims and aspirations and its long term objectives.

Mr Munro thereafter sold me a great dream by letting me know that the Black Caucus aims were to assist many Africans in this our country to become multi-millionaire; to make demands from the incoming 2015 Government (whosever that political party might be) in obtaining awards in multi-million dollars contracts for our black people who have been deprived of an equal share in the economy for decades; to also open a huge business complex in Barataria (on the highway) inclusive of a Massive Supermarket like PriceMart for black people to start buying from their own.

These and many more were sold to me as part of Munro's great plans not to leave out branches of African Credit Unions and Shopping Malls throughout T&T to allow "Black People" to support and buy from their own. I believed in it and bought Munro's dream lock, stock and barrel. He subsequently asked me to promote it on Iwer George's Trinibashment radio station 91.9FM.

I however did not stayed very long in the Black Caucus movement simply because my radical ideas of promoting the Black Caucus on national radio locked horns with Mr Munro's own plans and directions. I too resigned but in 2015 when I was told by Munro's son that I couldn't discuss on radio true but radical African history, its culture, slavery and religion to help purge the mind in preparation to effect and realize the dream Munro sold to me. I felt it was useless to carry on and viewed the local "Black Caucus" merely as two words on paper with no spirit/force and effect.
William Munro is Jesus Christ?

Today I see a huge building along Laventille Road in which I'm told belongs to Munro consisting of a beautiful air-conditioned Church upstairs and business stores downstairs. If I'm told that the Church upstairs and several business stores downstairs belongs to the Black Caucus, I would definitely and truly believe that Munro is actually Jesus Christ living in the flesh in Laventille, Trinidad.

Thus, I'm not the least surprised of the resignation of David Muhammad, Isha Wells and Harvey Borris from the Black Caucus and I won't be surprise if more follows in similar manner.

David Muhammad's Resignation

The following is David Muhammad resignation from the Black Caucus: -

"Resignation from the Black Caucus"

The idea of the Black Caucus in Trinidad was initiated by Brother William Munro in 2004, the Black Caucus, however, was first launched by members of the Nation of Islam, under the leadership of the Honourable Minister Louis Farrakhan, with myself at the head, following the model of the Millions More Movement that evolved for the 10th Anniversary of the Million Man March.

"This history cannot be erased. The Black Caucus continued to function under the Nation of Islam with a headquarters in Tunapuna up until 2009 when an associate of the movement registered the name "Black Caucus" under his own name with the Ministry of Legal Affairs without informing any of us.

"From this point onwards myself and colleagues immediately desisted from using the name Black Caucus and we subsequently launched the Black Agenda Project.

"When the movement was relaunched in 2014, I was asked to take up a leadership position in the organization and I agreed under the condition that the Black Caucus be an umbrella organization including the Black Agenda Project, Centre for Justice (headed by Harvey Boris), IBATT and the African Credit Union (and other organizations who declined the offer).

"From since November 2014 to recently this year, I have been the official Black Caucus Spokesman and Director on the board. I have represented the organization on over 110 television programs and about 30 radio programs as well as a number of public meetings. My name "David Muhammad" remained synonymous with the organization as a founding member and the person who first launched the movement, even as memories of its earlier manifestation remain.

"But the Black Caucus is now an entirely different organization to what it was before. After the resignation of other board directors I did my best to remain in the movement but it has gotten to the point whereby ideological incompatibility has superseded any possibility of working together for the same goals.

"As it stands now I am hereby resigning from the Board of Directors of the Black Caucus, I am no longer a member of the Black Caucus and I am unable to answer any questions about the movement, its direction or any matters pertaining to finance. The organization has very good people in it and I wish the group well and I remain available as a resource person to all movements and organizations across the country.

"We continue our work as the Black Agenda Project, whereby we are building the Kwame Ture Education Centre in Success Laventille, we are operating our own online radio station, we continue to publish educational material, circulate the Black Business Directory and manage the Skills Bank and Think Tank as well as host public meetings across the country and the region.

"May we all contribute to fulfilling the vision of the Honourable Elijah Muhammad, the Honourable Marcus Garvey and the great WEB Du Bois."

[snatman]

any one know what a pong for pee wah these days?

[eliteauto]

Even in the absence of the B.C. going forward there has been a change at the ground level with many black persons, this change might set the foundation for a groundswell movement towards economic independence and begin to change years of systematic and endemic social conditioning and stereotyping. The change is apparent to those paying attention and is being encouraged so eventually umbrella organizations won't be necessary for unification

[Numb3r4]

^^^ You really see movement toward economic independence?

Now more than ever the afro youth is stereotyped and maligned, organisations like the Black Caucus, I thought, were there to provide a positive unified front, without this front we have a group that is splintered and possibly fractured.

The Black Caucus was a very positive, public organisation that put forward a brave face for the afro-Trinbagonian and that is a very good thing, many other races have distinct organisations to call their own, and while they to may have their disareements they don't reach this level of public falling out. This is not healthy for the organisation.

A house divided against itself cannot stand - Abaraham Lincoln

Also it was hinted that the organisation is changing, into what exactly? What exactly can it morph into, isn't its goal a fairly singular objective, that is the upliftment of the afro-Trinbagonian condition? while I admit there can be many different ways to achieve this goal, I don't think a dis-agreement over a method to achieve this warrent leaving the organisation.

What possible direction could be charted that could make the organisation so different from what it was or supposed to be?

[adnj]

I stabbed myself in the pancreas with a broken piece of Lasko fan blade while trying to make sense of that

if the motor for that lasco fan is still working can I have it please? trying to repair one now!

This was worth memorializing.

[desifemlove]

Black Caucus, black humour?

by Raymond Ramcharitar

And there they were on Saturday night's CNC3 News: The Black Caucus Movement, demanding land in Caroni for "Africans," and saying it's a love thing. In these days of Donald Trump's reality TV campaign for the US presidency, you can barely tell what's a gag and what's real. But nope, it was as real as Harvey Borris's suit.

It wasn't the BCM's first rodeo. There's a billboard just off the highway as you drive past the Barataria flyover (going east) announcing the movement's existence and credo: "united we own, divided we beg." It gives a web address (www.bcmmovement.com), where you can find its mission: "To consciously steer Afro Caribbean consumerism to support black owned businesses and social programs to enhance their personal and community growth."

Yes, "businesses" is misspelled (as of 9 am Monday 15), and the word "consumerism" is misused. (Consumerism is the phenomenon in predator capitalism whereby the media, entertainment and advertising industries manipulate buyers into mindless, unsustainable consumption. I think they meant "consumers" but who knows?)

Also on the website is an "African Development Agenda" which lists "Land Distribution" as one of its priorities. The group also has radio and television shows (I've seen episodes on Synergy TV) and is featured on a YouTube channel, "doctrinie."

So they're out there: misspelling, misreading, misinterpreting, misguiding and misguided. But, till Saturday night, they were harmless and more than a little amusing. That's changed with the "land in Caroni" ejaculation, which is a pretty clear declaration of war–all protestations of peace and love notwithstanding. Forget dog-whistle politics, this is megaphone/news conference politics.

As I, regretfully, own no land in Caroni or anywhere else, I'll encourage Caroni land-owners to respond to this. However, since many people can't tell Indians apart, and Premchan frequently pays for Premdas, and I might be mistaken for a Caroni land owner, I'll take a quick look at two salient facts. First that the BCM felt confident enough to say this publicly, and second, that they're silly enough to think it is, or they can sell it as, a "love" thing, or anything other than what it is–a Nazi Lebensraum thing.

As to first issue–they have every reason to be confident, since they're just repeating what's been said many times. Politicians and surrogates have said it (Calcutta Ship etc), artists and cultural figures have said it, and Karene Asche (Be Careful What you Wish For), Cro Cro (Face Reality), Singing Sandra (Genocide) and many others have all confidently got up on national stages and sung much worse to great acclaim. Ms Asche got $2 million for her efforts in the 2011 Dimanche Gras, and no one pointed out (except me) how truly putrid the sentiments were. (It's on YouTube. Give it a look/listen.)

Calypso is the most prominent, but not the only place you'll find the sentiment. In 2002, I went to an event at the now-dead CCA7 featuring Earl Lovelace, Ken Ramchand and Rachel Manley. Lovelace said (and I reported in another paper) that Africans were entitled to various things because they were here before Indians. He also wrote (in Culture in Action (2004)) that badjohns and thugs were "freedom fighters." Figures as diverse as Chief Leroy Clarke and social activist Karen Bart-Alexander wrote (before last year's election), on the Jahaji mailing list, that Africans were being victimised by the PP. (Well, murder rates have gone up in black communities under the PNM. So that means....)

The precursor to these sentiments was the Central Bank Director/professor who was going round between 1997-2007 saying there were too many Indians at UWI, Indians were taking over the TTIT (UTT), and that Indian teachers were not teaching black children in primary schools. So screaming racial victimisation and demanding reparation isn't isolated to the BCM or new. But having this kind of poison flowing unchecked through your society for years has consequences.

It's not coincidental that while the case for reparations described above was being made via newspapers, calypso and electronic media around the turn of the century, ethnically motivated crime was increasing. Kidnappings (up to the end of the last decade) inordinately targeted Indo-Trinidadians, Many victims reported rape and Abu Ghraib-type humiliation as part of their ordeals. (This was revealed in a series of articles recounting the experiences of kidnap victims in this newspaper in January-February 2007 written by Anand Ramlogan, then a columnist.)

Those who think, like PNM philosopher, Cro Cro, that ethnically motivated crime is equivalent to divine retribution should strain themselves to think again. Crime is ecumenical, as is evident from the murder and violent crime rates and their distribution today. Everybody's getting it, but no one seems to know where it's coming from.

Here's where: when you have this kind of psychic vileness polluting the mental and social environment, all sorts of deformities result.

The BCM is not so much to blame; they're acting in a way they believe, with good reason, is acceptable. They've been led to this by people who should know better, respected artists like Earl Lovelace, academics,

PNM culture vultures and average people who swallow American pop culture whole and believe themselves to be African Americans and therefore entitled to all the perquisites. The problem is that such a worldview requires an antagonist, and guess who that is in T&T.

Perhaps the Hon Minister of Communication, the Most Hon Maxie Cuffie, might recall his "press freedom-fighter," days when this sort of thing came to be said and published routinely in otherwise respectable newspapers and radio. And he, and his Cabinet colleagues, might be interested to know that that's where the environment we live in today began. Unless they're comfortable with Afro-Trinidadians believing Indians have oppressed them.

https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2. ... 8d7721e505

[desifemlove]

David Muhammad - Why a Black Caucus in Trinidad?

Why is there a need for a Black Caucus in Trinidad and Tobago? Why must there be a “Black Agenda?” The answer to these and similar questions can be found in some basic sociological observations about our country. People of African Decent in Trinidad and Tobago are the largest consumer group, but the smallest producer group, we occupy the largest residential areas, but we own the least land, we eat food out of our homes the most, but we own the least restaurants, we buy the most food, but we own the least supermarkets, we buy the most brand name clothes, but own the least clothing stores, we buy the most fabric to make clothes, but we own the least cloth stores. We have the largest number of bank accounts, but there is hardly an African owned bank. Then we can further ask ‘how much African people get government contracts to construct buildings, build houses and pave roads and highways?’ What is the ratio of our university graduates in proportion to the numbers of our youth who are entering the prison system? What are the statistics regarding our people and consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, illegal drugs and junk food? And who produces, sells and circulates these items? Who are the vagrants on the streets of our towns and cities and who is occupying the mental institutions? An umbrella organization is needed to specifically focus on identifying solutions to the multitude of challenges that face African people in particular and unite us regardless of our social class, religion, philosophy or political persuasion. And this is what is here now in the Black Caucus.

In 2004 brother William Munro, who is the father of the movement, conceptualized the idea of a Black Caucus in Trinidad and invited together close to 60 persons at a private location to establish a foundation for the movement of which a core committee of 12 persons were selected. Two years later a public launch took place hosted by members of the Nation of Islam which brought out members of the public in a grand occasion to introduce African people to the concept of once again embracing a mass movement. At the official launch of the first incarnation of the Black Caucus on March 23rd,2006 the Express Newspaper (March 25th, 2006) said; "packed to its 500 seating capacity with at least another 100 people standing outside, an attentive audience cheered the call by the group’s leader and spokesperson David Muhammad." The Newsday said "the launch (of the Black Caucus) took place at City Hall Auditorium which overflowed with curious people, mainly of African descent." The Sunday Guardian spoke of the 1000 strong who came out to show support and join the Black Caucus. The Sunday Mirror Newspaper probably gave the most accurate representation of what took place saying “not since 1970 have Afro-Trinidadians in this country showed such interest and enthusiasm about a message of Black liberation” and they showed pictures of people crowded outside the hall as well as inside, on the stairs and across the street.

Today in 2014-2015 the Black Caucus is an aware, action oriented organization of committed groups and individuals who are concerned about the social, spiritual, psychological and material conditions that have created a crisis in our nation, among our people. Included in the movement are i) the Mega Mart construction drive, ii) the Black Agenda project, iii) the Centre for Justice, iv) the Independent Business Association of T&T and v) the African Credit Union and several other Black owned businesses, groups and individuals who are all active members along with a rapidly growing ground membership. The Black Caucus shall seek to offer analysis and provide financial solutions to the many obstacles that confront our people collectively. A caucus is most generally defined as being a “meeting of like-minded individuals” or “members of a movement." The word comes from the Native American Indian; Algonquin language meaning "counsel," and was introduced into political usage through the U.S. Democratic Party and its affiliate the “Congressional Black Caucus.” The spirit and character of the Trinidad Black Caucus is that of "an extended family." The approach is one of an attitude of kinship to one another, and paternalism toward the youth, as demonstrated in William Munro’s Swimming to Success” initiative targeting Black youth in the POS and Environs area.

The major focus and mission of the Black Caucus is to contribute toward the development of Black people; mentally, physically and spiritually with a key focus on the economic empowerment and education of its people. Initially the foundation ideology of the Black Caucus was drawn from three great men; the Honourable Elijah Muhammad, Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois. Elijah Muhammad said “the Black man must do for self or suffer the consequences, accept your own and be yourself, we must unite and pool our resources.” Marcus Garvey said; “There is no force like success, and that is why the individual makes all effort to surround himself throughout life with the evidence of it; as of the individual, so should it be of the nation… progress is the attraction that moves humanity.” W.E.B. Du Bois said "“Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future year. It is today that we fit ourselves for the greater usefulness of tomorrow. Today is the seed time, now are the hours of work, and tomorrow comes the harvest and the playtime.” W.E.B. Du Bois also said; “A little less complaint and whining, and a little more dogged work and manly striving, would do us more credit than a thousand civil rights bills.” But why these three men? The reason is because they led the three largest and most consequential black organizations of the 20th century; the Nation of Islam, the NAACP and the UNIA, and now in the 21st Century the Black Caucus is building another mass movement starting in Trinidad with plans to spread across the entire Caribbean. Minister Louis Farrakhan between 2011 and 2014 visited 12 Caribbean nations planting seeds of consciousness that will be ready for germination in 2015. The Black Caucus Movement today is growing and the movement establishing Black businesses and seeking to bring together individuals to create an economic force, is an indictment on the African politicians that have been in governance over our communities for many years. There has been an evident and obvious neglect of the social condition of African people by those who have represented us on the political level it is therefore necessary for us to unite and join the Black Caucus movement. Internationally the Honourable Louis Farrakhan is the last Black voice that reaches the global masses in just about every region of the planet. We must unite now because after he is gone there are no more to fill his shoes.

https://www.facebook.com/blackagenda/po ... QnJspZMs6l

[Dizzy28]

What's the other races equivalent of the BCM in Trinidad?

[matr1x]

Ummm...didn't Eric Williams give a whole lot of contracts to black contractors? They always crying but not willing to change the problem of only thinking of 1 generation.

At least they more sensible that BLM

[De Dragon]

What's the other races equivalent of the BCM in Trinidad?

The Raj Caucus.........

[Dizzy28]

Ummm...didn't Eric Williams give a whole lot of contracts to black contractors? They always crying but not willing to change the problem of only thinking of 1 generation.

At least they more sensible that BLM

Just contracts he gave to the Black's?

[zoom rader]

Told you all this was going to happen

[abducted]

What's the other races equivalent of the BCM in Trinidad?

The Indian Caucus Movement, The Syrian Caucus Movement and the Chinese Caucus Movement, because each race is responsible for where they are today.

[K74T]

The Small Caucus Movement.

[matr1x]

Ummm...didn't Eric Williams give a whole lot of contracts to black contractors? They always crying but not willing to change the problem of only thinking of 1 generation.

At least they more sensible that BLM

Just contracts he gave to the Black's?

Well a lot more than that. Housing, and so forth. Never seen a people cry so much when they got so much. Jeez

[RedVEVO]

Told you all this was going to happen

Yes - you did

They keep shooting the messenger

[desifemlove]

What's the other races equivalent of the BCM in Trinidad?

well your parrty is backed by them, ent?

[Dizzy28]

What's the other races equivalent of the BCM in Trinidad?

well your parrty is backed by them, ent?

An arsehole answer from an arsehole individual

[desifemlove]

What's the other races equivalent of the BCM in Trinidad?

well your parrty is backed by them, ent?

An arsehole answer from an arsehole individual

says the guy who mocks the mentally ill.

or who says he is educated and then agrees with everything his party (UNC) says, no matter how economically dotish it is.

or the man who boasts aobut some big wuk, but then says all sorts of sheit that make no sense, despite being so learned from UWI.

ent yuh tools business open on Sundays then? i guess you should go back to yuh "big wuk" and i go back to mine.