Alphonso Philbert Theophilus James- Tobago's Hero

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Alphonso Philbert Theophilus James was a Tobagonian legislator who fought avidly for the development of Tobago. He was born in Patience Hill Tobago in 1901. He attended the Black Rock Primary School after which he became a student teacher at his ‘Alma mater’. In his quest for knowledge he left Tobago in 1919, however, because of limited funds the furthest he could travel was to Trinidad where, he found work on the oilfields as a stevedore. It was there that he was given the nick name “Fargo” as he was built like a heavy duty British vehicle and it was rumoured that he could lift up to 3 barrels at one time and also bend a shilling between his thumb and forefinger. On the oilfields he aligned himself with the likes of Captain Arthur Cipriani, the Workingmen’s Association and eventually the Federated Workers Trade Union. He worked for the union and eventually established a branch office at La Brea. A.P.T. James was a wealthy man and he wasn’t afraid to spend his money. He used the money he had to buy property, houses, an estate, a hotel. He also bought land in Tobago and allowed his family and friends to build houses. He owned race horses and financially supported many trade unions, paying their bills and salaries. Within the Legislative Council he acted as deputy leader of the opposition. He served in the Butler Party, the Caribbean Socialist Party, the Trinidad Labour Party and the Democratic Labour Party (D.L.P.). A.P.T. James was considered a pest. He often wore down and bored his fellow counterparts with his relentless demands for his beloved island, in his constant battle for the development of the island. He started his battle in 1946 when he defeated George de Nobriga to win the Tobago seat on the Legislative Council. It was at this juncture, he began his diligent fight for Health services, education, electricity, roads, and a deep-water harbour in
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