The July 27, 1990 coup attempt in Trinidad and Tobago engineered by the Black Muslim group Jammaat al Muslimeen, took the world by surprise. KAISO FOR JULY 27TH examines the tensions in Trinidadian society that may have led to that action.

In this film, Trinidadians explain the economic hardships suffered by their people as oil prices fell through the 1980s. This depreciation of oil, Trinidad's chief export, led to decreased production, which meant less work, and a 25% to 30% decline in real income for laborers. Further disillusion was caused by the split of the ruling party in 1986 and burdens placed on the nation by stricter guidelines imposed by the IMF and World Bank. They argue that the Jammaat was not a radical group attempting to seize power, but a manifestation of the people's frustration. Had it not been the Jammaat, they say, it would have been others.

With street scenes and numerous interviews, KAISO FOR JULY 27TH reveals the impact of the coup on this island nation one year later.