Alphonso Philbert Theophilus "Fargo" James (c.1908-January 7, 1962), born in Black Rock, Tobago, was a Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...

 politician. He was elected to the Legislative Council

Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago

The Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago served as an advisory commission to the Governor in British-ruled Trinidad and Tobago, between 1925 and independence in 1961. The Legislative Council consisted of a mixture of appointed and elected members...

 in 1946. He served in the Legislative Council until 1961 when he was defeated by A.N.R. Robinson

A. N. R. Robinson

Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson, OCC, TC was the third President of Trinidad and Tobago, serving from 19 March 1997 to 17 March 2003. He was also Trinidad and Tobago's third Prime Minister, serving in that capacity from 18 December 1986 to 17 December 1991...

 . James was known as "Fargo

Fargo (truck)

Fargo was a brand of truck manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation. In general terms, Fargo trucks were a mere rebadging of Dodge trucks models.-History:...

", after a brand of trucks, because of his strength and tendency to crush opponents. He was known as being a proponent of Tobagonian secession from Trinidad and Tobago.

Political life

In 1919 James left Tobago for Trinidad where he worked in the oil field

Oil field

An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...

s and later as a stevedore

Stevedore

Stevedore, dockworker, docker, dock labourer, wharfie and longshoreman can have various waterfront-related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country....

 working for Brighton Lake Asphalt which produced and exported asphalt

Asphalt

Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...

 from the Pitch Lake

Pitch Lake

The Pitch Lake is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world, located at La Brea in southwest Trinidad, within the Siparia Regional Corporation. The lake covers about 40 ha and is reported to be 75 m deep....

 in La Brea

La Brea, Trinidad and Tobago

La Brea is a town in southwestern Trinidad, located north of Point Fortin and south of Rousillac and San Fernando. La Brea is best known as the site of the Pitch Lake, a natural asphalt lake. Pronunciation of "La Brea" differs from that used in the USA at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles...

. James initially joined the Trinidad Workingmen's Association led by A.A. Cipriani

Arthur Andrew Cipriani

Captain Arthur Andrew Cipriani was a [Trinidad and Tobago] labour leader and politician. He served as mayor of Port of Spain, elected member of the Legislative Council, leader of the Trinidad Workingmen's Association and founder of the Trinidad Labour Party.Cipriani served with the West Indies...

 and later the Federated Workers Trade Union

Federated Workers Trade Union

The Federated Workers Trade Union was a trade union in Trinidad and Tobago that was formed in 1935. It was Registered in 1937 and became the recognised union for some workers in the private sector but also those in the Public Works Department and the Trinidad Government Railways.In 1959 the...

 led by Albert Gomes

Albert Gomes

Albert Maria Gomes , 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...

 and Quintin O'Connor

Quintin O'Connor

Quintin O'Connor was a union leader, activist, and politician in colonial Trinidad and Tobago from the 1930s to the late 1950s. He played an essential role in the institutionalization of unionism in Trinidad and was an early proponent of Trinidadian independence.-Personal Life:Quintin O’Connor was...

. He became a union organiser and represented oil and asphalt workers. James became a successful businessman, supplying labour contracts in the oil fields and stevedore services in Port of Spain

Port of Spain

Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...

. James was elected to the Legislative Council in 1946 representing Tobago. James was first elected on a Butler Party

Butler Party

The British Empire Citizens' and Workers' Home Rule Party, also known as the Butler Home Rule Party and more commonly as the Butler Party, were a series of political parties in Trinidad and Tobago organised by T.U.B. Butler.-History:...

 ticket, but after falling out with T.U.B. Butler

Tubal Uriah Butler

Tubal Uriah "Buzz" Butler , was a Grenadian-born Spiritual Baptist preacher and labour leader in Trinidad and Tobago...

, he affiliated with Patrick Solomon's Caribbean Socialist Party

Caribbean Socialist Party

The Caribbean Socialist Party was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Led by Patrick Solomon, it contested the 1950 general elections together with the Butler Party, receiving 2.4% of the vote and winning a single seat, taken by A. P. T. James. It did not contest any further elections....

. He later represented the Trinidad Labour Party

Trinidad Labour Party

The Trinidad Labour Party was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Formed in in 1924 when the Trinidad Workingmen's Association changed its name, it was the country's first party.-History:...

 and the Democratic Labour Party

Democratic Labour Party (Trinidad and Tobago)

The Democratic Labour Party was the main opposition party in Trinidad and Tobago between 1957 and 1971. The party was the party which opposed the People's National Movement at the time of Independence...

.

After being defeated by Robinson in the 1961 General Elections, James retired from politics and died shortly thereafter.

External links

• Images of a bust of A.P.T. James in Scarborough, Tobago
  Scarborough, Tobago
  Scarborough, Tobago is the largest town in Tobago, one of the two main islands of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Its population is around 17,000, almost one-third of the population of the island. The town is dominated by Fort King George, an 18th century fortification named after King George...
  
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