Kamaludin Bobby Emamali considers himself to be lucky, fortunate and blessed to be born on August 31, 1962, the day T&T gained Independence.
Emamali was among the babies born after midnight, following the lowering of the Union Jack and the hoisting of the country’s red, white and black flag for the first time. His birth and that historic occasion made it a double celebration for his parents, Mona and Moonan Yacoob Emamali.
Celebrations of his auspicious birth date are not only by Emamali’s family but friends and neighbours who admire his dedication to his Malabar community and the people of Arima. He is known for the ways he has assisted people who are unemployed and down and out.
“I hired people who were struggling. Those were my proudest and happiest moments knowing that I never fought for material things but tried to uplift the lives of my fellowmen who needed assistance,” he said.
However, Emamali now needs a helping hand, as he has reached his lowest ebb. He blames his current problems on “family issues, greed and jealousy.”
Since 2020, Emamali has been sleeping in the verandah of a Malabar home.
“I have nowhere to go. I stay in a gallery of a neighbour’s home. She gave me a lodging,” he said
In the verandah, Emamali has all his worldly possessions, a hammock and a bed on which he sleeps.
He admitted: “If it wasn’t for this neighbour I would have been on the streets...homeless.”
The house, which was partially destroyed by fire, is currently under repairs.
Describing himself as the black sheep in his family, Emamali does not have permanent employment. Recently doctors gave him a letter to take to the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services to get financial help.
To compound matters, he was a victim of 11 robberies.
“It has been hard. It has been a struggle knowing that I had everything and now I have nothing. Yes, it pains knowing that you were going so good in life and then all of a sudden this blight just take you,” he said.
“Honestly, I have been through hell. The challenges have been insurmountable. I feel this is a test by God.”
Emamali earns a meagre income selling vegetables a few days a week for one of his cousins.
The 11 times he was robbed, twice he was beaten on his head with a gun butt and stabbed repeatedly on his hands with a knife by his assailants. In one of the holdups, the armed bandits threatened to kill his friend for his $1,000 sneakers.
Recounting the incident, Emamali said they left one bar to go to another for a drink and while “coming back down the road the bandits ambushed, robbed and started beating us.” The thieves asked Emamali’s friend to hand over his Nike sneakers but he refused.
“That’s when they threatened to kill him and I had to intervene to save his life. It left me shaking for days,” he recalled.
Emamali believes he is the victim of a generational curse. He is in no position, financially and otherwise, to celebrate his 60th birthday.
He said: “This would obviously be a major milestone in my life but due to my predicament and circumstance, I can’t have a party or celebrate.”
In happier times, Emamali celebrated August 31 by decorating every wall, gate, railing and lampost on his street in the national colours to celebrate his birthday and Independence.
“Every year, I used to spend over $1,000 in cloth to decorate the street that I lived on,” he said.
After graduating from secondary school with eight GCE O’ level passes, Emamali pursued several courses in food, microbiology and technology at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine. He had a passion for the culinary arts, so he opened a wine, confectionary and local preserves business under the brand name Grand Sweet Hand Products. He also established a catering company.
Emamali also served as vice president of the Malabar Youths in Action Group, president of Lawrence Park Action Group and a member of the Lion’s Club. He dabbled in mas making, assisted in Best Village competitions and hosted Carnival events and Arima Fest for the Arima Borough Corporation.
“Things were really looking up for me,” he recalled. “Now I am at rock bottom.”
Asked if T&T has progressed as a nation, Emamali said: “As a developing country, we have made strides. If our people could put aside politics our country would be in a far better position.”
Despite his setbacks, Emamali said his goal is to pursue a project management course at UWI.
“I still want to own a company,” he said.
Optimistic that he would get past the hard times, Emamali thanked God for his life.
“In a few days, I will turn 60. Not many people live up to this age, so I have to praise God. In life, we all have to write our own book and this is the final chapter I am going through. Nothing lasts forever. This too shall pass.”