Basdeo Panday: Difference between revisions
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== Legal Problems== |
== Legal Problems== |
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On |
On [[April 24]], [[2006]], Panday was found guilty on three counts of failing to declare a [[London]] bank account to the Integrity Commission for the years [[1997]], [[1998]] and [[1999]], respectively, contrary to Section 27 (1)(b) of the Integrity in Public Life Act 1987. The sentence handed down by Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls calls for two years imprisonment with hard labour on each of the three counts, which are to run concurrently. |
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Additionally, he was fined TT$20,000 on each count and had to forfeit the equivalent of £159,600.35 (approximately TT$1,600,000), which represented the total accumulated year end balances in the bank account for the three years in question. He indicated that he would appeal |
Additionally, he was fined TT$20,000 on each count and had to forfeit the equivalent of £159,600.35 (approximately TT$1,600,000), which represented the total accumulated year end balances in the bank account for the three years in question. He indicated that he would appeal. Panday was also ordered to pay the state about TT$1.6 million by way of forfeiture, representing the money Panday failed to declare to the Integrity Commission. The verdict marked first time in the history of [[Trinidad and Tobago]] that a former [[Prime Minister]] was found guilty of criminal activity and sentenced for a breach of the law. |
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On May 31, 2005, Panday, together with his wife, Oma and former UNC MP Carlos John and businessman Ishwar Galbaransingh (chairman of Northern Construction Limited) were arrested on corruption charges. The State alleged that the Pandays had received TT$250,000 on December 30, 1998 from John and Galbaransingh in exchange for giving Northern Construction a construction contract for the Piarco Airport Development Project (PADP). Panday refused bail and chose to remain in prison for a short while. |
On [[May 31]], [[2005]], Panday, together with his wife, Oma and former [[United National Congress|UNC]] MP Carlos John and businessman Ishwar Galbaransingh (chairman of Northern Construction Limited) were arrested on corruption charges. The State alleged that the Pandays had received TT$250,000 on December 30, 1998 from John and Galbaransingh in exchange for giving Northern Construction a construction contract for the [[Piarco International Airport|Piarco Airport]] Development Project (PADP). Panday refused bail and chose to remain in prison for a short while. |
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Panday, Mrs. Panday and John were placed on TT$750,000 bail, while Galbaransingh was placed on a $1,000,000. This |
Panday, Mrs. Panday and John were placed on TT$750,000 bail, while Galbaransingh was placed on a $1,000,000. This was called a punitive bail both by supporters of the [[United National Congress|UNC]] and by former [[Attorney General]] [[Ramesh Maharaj]], a sometime political opponent of Panday. On [[June 7]], [[2005]], bail was reduced to TT$650,000. A day later, Panday accepted bail after being jailed for over week. |
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== Recent Developments== |
== Recent Developments== |
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Revision as of 06:53, 9 September 2006
Basdeo Panday (born May 25, 1933) was Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2001 and has served as Leader of the Opposition from 1976-1977, 1978-1986, 1989-1995 and 2001-2006. He was first elected to Parliament in 1976 as the Member for Couva North. He is the Chairman and former party leader of the Opposition United National Congress. Panday was convicted of fraud in public office in 2006 for failing to declare a bank account in London and imprisoned. He was granted bail on April 28 due to his health condition and the poor state of health facilities at the Arouca prison. On May 1 he resigned as Chairman of the United National Congress.
Basdeo Panday is married to the former Oma Ramkissoon and has four daughters, one from his first marriage (Norma Panday)(née Mohammed). In 2006, he was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
Early life
He was born in St. Julien Village in Princes Town, to a Mr.Harry "Chote" Sookchand and Kissoondaye Panday, who were both first-generation East Indian Arrivants to Trinidad. Kissondaye's mother, along with her mother, came on the trip via Fiji (they had missed the boat going back there, so they took the one to Trinidad instead). Sookchand's Uncle, Joseph Hardath Dube was the General Secretary of the East Indian National Association, and was responsible for enrolling Mr. Panday in Presentation College, San Fernando, after Basdeo attended New Grant Government and St. Julien C.M. School.
He was the first of three boys, the others being Rabindranath and Subhas, another lawyer and presently a Member of Parliament. In Presenation College he did well in his work and received a Senior Certificate. He also was a footbal player and was said to be " a Tricky Dribbler in the Left Center field" and "prone to one-manship".[citation needed]
He was accepted into Lincoln's Inn, London (Law), London University(Economics) and London School of Dramatic Arts (Drama). Prior to studying in London he worked as a sugar cane weigher, a primary school teacher and a civil servant. He was also an actor and played a small part in several films. Mostnotably " Man in The Middle", with Robert Mitchum.
Political career
Upon his return to Trinidad, he entered politics and ran unsuccessfully for Parliament as a candidate for the Workers and Farmers Party in 1966.
His most prominent debut into local politics was as early as 1973, when he forayed into the politics of one of the most prominent unions of the day, the Trinidad Islandwide Cane Farmers' Association,(TICFA). He was faced with antagonism from the then leader of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, Bhadase Sagan Maraj and the leader of the Union, Mr. Rampartapsingh, who had succeeded Mr. Maraj. These were the favourites of the then Prime Minister, Eric Williams, for he was concerned about the "left-wing radicalisation" of the union membership.
It was in this context that Basdeo Panday came to the fore. Basdeo Panday was able, though backdoor negotiations with the then union leader of TICFA, and then subsequently with the then Prime Minister, Eric Williams concerning the wages and salaries of sugarcane workers, to claim control over the union as the undisputed leader of TICFA.
Basdeo Panday's ambitions did not stop there. Exploiting the fractural divisiveness that existed within the then opposition of the Democratic Labour Party, Panday formed an alliance with other union members, George Weekes and Raffique Shah. The three formed the United Labour Front.
He co-founded the National Alliance (with A.N.R. Robinson,Lloyd Best to fight the 1981 elections, and later co-founded the National Alliance for Reconstruction with Robinson and Karl Hudson-Phillips. Following a convincing electoral victory in 1986 Panday fell out with Robinson and was later expelled from the party.
He then founded the Club for Love, Unity and Brotherhood (CLUB 88) which became the United National Congress. In 1992 their candidates won more seats in that year's election than the then NAR. On such a basis, the members of what was to become the UNC, argued this in parliament to the become the opposition members (newcomer Hulsie Bhaggan defeated political heavyweight Winston Dookeran for the Chaguanas seat), but the party only won 13 of 36 seats nationally. It improved this margin to 17 in the 1995 General Elections elections. It could not form the majority in parliament to form the Cabinet,so ,with the support of the two seats held by Robinson and the NAR, Panday was appointed the country's first Indo-Trinidadian and the first Hindu Prime Minister. A.N.R. Robinson became the first Tobagonian to become president.
Under the leadership of Mr. Panday the UNC went on to win the 2000 election but internal strife in the party forced another election in 2001 which resulted in a tie. Without any clear constitutional guidelines, President Robinson chose to act contrary to Parliamentary tradition and appointed Patrick Manning Prime Minister.
Legal Problems
On April 24, 2006, Panday was found guilty on three counts of failing to declare a London bank account to the Integrity Commission for the years 1997, 1998 and 1999, respectively, contrary to Section 27 (1)(b) of the Integrity in Public Life Act 1987. The sentence handed down by Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls calls for two years imprisonment with hard labour on each of the three counts, which are to run concurrently.
Additionally, he was fined TT$20,000 on each count and had to forfeit the equivalent of £159,600.35 (approximately TT$1,600,000), which represented the total accumulated year end balances in the bank account for the three years in question. He indicated that he would appeal. Panday was also ordered to pay the state about TT$1.6 million by way of forfeiture, representing the money Panday failed to declare to the Integrity Commission. The verdict marked first time in the history of Trinidad and Tobago that a former Prime Minister was found guilty of criminal activity and sentenced for a breach of the law.
On May 31, 2005, Panday, together with his wife, Oma and former UNC MP Carlos John and businessman Ishwar Galbaransingh (chairman of Northern Construction Limited) were arrested on corruption charges. The State alleged that the Pandays had received TT$250,000 on December 30, 1998 from John and Galbaransingh in exchange for giving Northern Construction a construction contract for the Piarco Airport Development Project (PADP). Panday refused bail and chose to remain in prison for a short while.
Panday, Mrs. Panday and John were placed on TT$750,000 bail, while Galbaransingh was placed on a $1,000,000. This was called a punitive bail both by supporters of the UNC and by former Attorney General Ramesh Maharaj, a sometime political opponent of Panday. On June 7, 2005, bail was reduced to TT$650,000. A day later, Panday accepted bail after being jailed for over week.
Recent Developments
In September, 2005, Panday nominated Winston Dookeran (St. Augustine M.P.) as his successor as Political Leader. Panday himself was nominated for the party Chairmanship. On October 2, 2005 both Panday and Dookeran won their posts unopposed (see United National Congress). Since appointing Dookeran to succeed him, the UNC has been divided with many members calling for Panday to hand over power absolutely to Dookeran in the form of the Leader of the Opposition. Panday has since failed to do so, and with the Opposition MPs split 8-8 on the issue, Panday has remained as the leader of the Opposition.
In February 2006, Panday invited estranged former Attorney General, Ramesh Lawerence Maharaj back into the UNC. This led to divided opinion inside and outside the UNC and saw the revocation, by Panday, of the appointment of Senator Robin Montano, a vocal opponent to the return of Maharaj. Following this came the resignation from the Senate of Roy Augustus. Panday replaced Montano with Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, a loyalist and Augustus with former Trinidad and Tobago sprint star Ato Boldon. Boldon stated that he was first invited to become a senator by FIFA Vice-President and Deputy Political Leader of the UNC, Austin "Jack" Warner.
See also
References