Massport Changes Discriminatory Practice Against TACV after Complaints

By Miguel Vieira FORCV Columnist

BOSTON - "Power concedes nothing without a struggle." This political axiom has been pronounced time and time again to the point that it may sound trite to some. Nevertheless its effectiveness to propel governmental inertia to action is undeniable. Moises Rodrigues, a Cape Verdean activist and the Director of Community Services for the City of Brockton, can personally attest to the effectiveness of this adage.

Recently Rodrigues was instrumental in having a discriminatory practice against the Cape Verdean airline carrier, TACV, by the Massport (the Massachusetts Port Authority) changed. Transportes Aereos de Cabo Verde (TACV), the official airline of Cape Verde and the only African carrier to operate in and out of Boston Logan International airport had until recently been inexplicably excluded from the Massport flight information website.

Rodrigues decided to write a letter to the chief executive officer (CEO) of Massport Authority, Thomas J. Kinton Jr., and address his concerns to him. The letter was made available to FORCV.com. "It disheartens me and members of my community" Rodrigues wrote, "to know that Logan Airport officials refuse to address a discriminatory practice, namely the absence of TACV flight information in the Massport website." Rodrigues further stated in his letter that the fact that no TACV billboard is displayed anywhere entering and/or exiting the airport "saddens" and "disappoints" him. "Other airline carriers’ flight information" he pointed, "is listed in the Massport website and their Logos are prominently displayed throughout the airport". "But TACV's", he argued, "in spite of having utilized the airport for many years continues to be excluded by the Logan website". This is doubtlessly a discriminatory practice, Mr. Rodrigues concluded. "It must be addressed and fixed", he declared in his letter to Massport CEO Thomas J.Kinton.

In Mr. Thomas J. Kinton Jr. response letter, which was also made available to FORCV.com, an acknowledgment of unfairness was recognized. TACV deserves and is entitled to have its flight information listed on the Massport authority website, the tone of the letter indicated. "I am pleased to report", Mr. Kinton said in his reply letter, "that Massport is now posting TACV's schedule on our Flight Information web page at massport.com" This was music to Mr. Rodrigues' ears who up to that point had spend considerable energy trying to address and fix this problem, to no avail. With one letter Mr. Rodrigues was able to accomplish what numerous phone calls and other appeals had failed. So in essence, the power of the letter to address and cure institutional discriminatory practices clearly manifested itself in this instance. Mr. Kinton's conciliatory reply letter is a case in point.

On a further important note, Mr. Kinton Jr. stated in his response letter to Mr. Rodrigues, that "effectively immediately", TACV will be included in the "Logan simplified", a brochure which he pointed out, "lists all carriers serving the Boston International Airport." This, too, was music to Mr. Rodrigues ears.

Mr. Rodrigues' Letter to CEO Thomas Kinton Jr., by a matter of fact, helped address and correct a discriminatory practice - TACV's exclusion from the Massport flight information website. As a result, TACV now gets precious exposure and much needed publicity in two venues of the Boston Logan international airport, inclusion in the Massport flight information website and in its brochure. This was a definite notable accomplishment by Mr. Moises Rodrigues. His advocacy and subsequent success in having a discriminatory practice against TACV reversed, by way of a letter, should be emulated and employed by individuals and advocacy groups in the Cape Verdean community.

This demonstrated the power of advocacy! it shows how a simple email, phone call, or letter to people in position of power can go a long way.

This is the type of positive behavior and action we need to reproduce throughout our community. Complacency and tolerance of bad services and unfair practices will only hurt us.

Congratulations, Moises! Keep it up.