Albert Gomes

The Honourable Albert Gomes

1st Chief Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
In office 18 September 1950 – 28 October 1956
Governor	Hubert Rance
Preceded by	Chief Minister established
Succeeded by	Eric Williams

Albert Maria Gomes (25 March 1911 – 13 January 1978), a Trinidad and Tobago unionist, 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 (DLP) 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, with contributors that included C. L. R. James, Alfred Mendes and Ralph de Boissière. The Beacon was controversial and iconoclastic, and helped set the stage for Gomes' future work.