National Joint Action Committee
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The National Joint Action Committee is a defunct or inactive Afrocentrist political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It was founded by Geddes Granger (now Makandal Daaga) out of the Guild of Undergraduates at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies.
NJAC contested General Elections between 1981 and 1991. It also gave rise to the National Women's Action Committee, the National Youth Action Committee and the National Action Cultural Committee. These bodies have been influential in cultural activies, most significantly in establishing the Young Kings calypso competition.
Granger was an undergraduate student (in his thirties) at the University of the West Indies. He took umbrage with the fact that most businesses in Trinidad at the time were owned by the white minority and employment practices were slanted similarly.
After several arrests of West Indian students by authorities in Canada following the occupation and destruction of the computer center at Sir George Williams University, on Thursday February 26, 1970 Granger organized a protest through Port of Spain - the capital of Trinidad & Tobago. During the protest, several home made bombs (Molotov cocktails) were thrown into several foreign - owned businesses in the city as well as the home of the United States Vice - Consul. The march took them to the Canadian High Commission and to the Royal Bank of Canada, then to the mail Roman Catholic Cathedral in Port of Spain, where they held dialogue with several priests.
The next morning, five members of the movement were arrested for disorderly conduct in a place of worship. Unfortunately for the authorities, the arrests publicized the group and their cause, and soon the group numbered around ten thousand, marching through the streets and chanting "Power, power!
Granger's work to this point got the attention of the then Prime Minister, Dr. Eric Williams, who warned business owners against discriminatory business practices.
The National Joint Action Committee had its genus in these marches. Its leaders (Granger, Dave D'Abreau) subsequently changed their names and promoted a leftist black power party message.
It is noteworthy that in the 1981 elections ,NJAC not recognized by the populace as a viable party and ended up with less than 4% of the vote. In subsequesnt elections they faired even worse winning only 1% of the vote in 1986 and 1991. Their political meetings were poorly attended and at times there were more media than attendees.
In fairness to Granger and NJAC, their forays in to cultural awareness have been very successful, and they have gained a good reputation for hosting cultural activities.
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