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RABI MARTINS
Rabi Martins

Rabi was born in Goa, educated in India (St. Vincent's, Poona) Tanzania (Dodoma Secondary School) and attended college in Ireland.
At school Rabi was Captain of the Hockey Team and Head Boy.
He holds a B.Sc and MBA

Rabi Martins was an active member of the Goan Association for many years and in his time held almost every office on the Executive including Secretary, President and Chairman. He also set up and chaired the Goan Association Standing Committee on Race Relations and Immigration and was responsible for the publication of the only report of Goans in UK so far published in 1989. Rabi also served on the Save Goa Campaign

He is currently a senior councillor on Watford Borough Council where he holds the Chair of Licensing, is the Council’s Equalities Champion and member of the Performance and Call – In Committee

Rabi played a key role in the rehabilitation of the Uganda Asians and for a time was a member of the Uganda Asian Resettlement Board and was also supported Goans who came to the UK when they were expelled from Zambia. A keen sportsman Rabi played for the Goan Association Hockey Team.

Outside of the Goan Community Rabi has been involved in politics and community campaigning.. He served on the executive of the UK Immigrants Service for 5 years with the likes of Patricia Hewitt, the current Minister for Women and Equality.


Rabi was a founder member of the National Association of Black, Asain and Ethnic Minority Councillors and served as the association vice chair for 4 years. In this role he was instrumental in getting the Ide&A to set up a special leadership programme for ethnic minority councillors in the UK.

Rabi has campaigned tirelessly on Race Equality and Diversity Issues for nearly 30 years. He was amongst those who campaigned for improved race relations legislation which led to the enactment of the 1976 Race Relation Act

For the past five years he has served as an independent advisor to the Metropolitan Police and has recently been taken on as an independent advisor by the Hertfordshire Constabulary

As portfolio holder for Community and Partnership Rabi steered the Watford Council’s Race Equality Scheme. He was a member of the Local Government Association Equalities Executive and has contributed to the development of the Guidance on Community Cohesion and promoted it at various local and national conferences.

Rabi holds an influential position with the Liberal Democrats Party and is chair of the Party’s Race Equality Advisory Group and the Ethnic Minority Election Task Force One of his achievements in this capacity has been to produce a report “Race, Diversity and the Party” which sets down a framework for the Party to address the ethnic deficit in Parliament. The report was adopted by the Party Leadership earlier this year and launched by the Leader of the Liberal Democrats Charles Kennedy at a gathering in the House of Commons.

He has led two Parliamentary delegations to India (in 2002 with Baroness Shirley Williams and in and 2004 with Malcolm Bruce MP)

Rabi also sits on the national Party Federal Policy Committee and has been instrumental in getting the Party to set up an Equalities Audit Group with a remit to evaluate all Party policies against the Equalities and Human Rights consideration
He is a member of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation working group on the role of back bench councillors

Rabi lists as his hobbies Writing, Photography and people
For the 2005 Liberal Democrat profile of Rabi Martins see: http://www.libdems.org.uk/party/people/person.html?id=272&navPage=inyourarea.html
The Sachin Trust
Rabi Martins and Sachin Tendulkar.
Sachin Tendulkar launched The Sachin Trust on 6 Sep. 2004. Sachin, (Support A Child In Need) is building a Training School and Residential Home for disadvantaged street children in Goa. Present at the event was Rabi Martins, Rabi@southallpartnership.co.uk an ex-President of the Goan Association who has proved elusive recently. Rabi is a Watford Councillor and active in Lib Dem politics.
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At the event a raffle was announced. GoaWay is giving away a Holiday for two to Goa. Tickets cost £20 each and are limited to 100. The draw is on 1st Oct. or earlier if all tickets are sold. For details see: http://www.sachintrust.org/raffle.htm or contact Mike Green, tel. 0118 974 4476 mikegreen@support-a-child-in-need.org For details about Sachin Trust visit http://www.sachintrust.org/
Asian Voice (UK) 2 October 2004
Left to Right: Indian High Commissioner Kamlesh Sharma, Lord Dholakia, Smita Purushottam, Tim Brake MP and Clr Rabi Martins

Lord Dholakia's term of office as the President of the liberal Democrats came to an end last week. In his parting speech to the conference Lord Dholakia siad he was proud to have served the Party and the community and predicted that the Liberal Democrats appeal to the ethnic minority comunities will continue to rise because the Party was committed to Fairness and Freedom.
He made a particular reference to the work in the field of Diversity and Equality and thanked Councillor Rabinder (Rabi) Martins, Chair of the Party Ethnic Minority Election Task Force and and Fiyaz Mughal, chair of Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats for their contribution in this area

The Party Conference, probably the last one before the next General Election was peppered with debates and fringe meetings of particular interest to the ethnic minority members.

In the main hall the party debated Immigration and Asylum Issues, Iraq, Education and Access to Health Care

The fringe meetings also had a high content of Asain realted issues. Among the more popular ones was a fringe meeting on Fair Trade and its implications for India and UK. cahired by Rabi Martins. Speakers included Sir Robert Smith and Manpreet Vohra, Minister Economiv from the High Commission of India

The conference was also graced by the attendance of the High Commissioner for India, Kamlesh Sharma who hosted the Liberal Democrats friends of India dinner attended by amongst others the Party Leader Charles Kennedy, Lord Dholakia, Baronnes Shirley Williams and Leicester South MP, Parmjit Gill
The secretary of of Lib Dems Friends of India said after the event " It is a measure of the high value that Liberal Democrtas place on our relations with India that so many of our MPs and Peers made time in their heavy schedule to attend the event."

Over the coming year Liberal Democrats Friends of India plan to hold other functions to further develop the special relationship.
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