Basdeo Panday facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Basdeo Panday
Panday in 2008
5th Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
In office 9 November 1995 – 24 December 2001
President	Noor Mohamed Hassanali A. N. R. Robinson
Preceded by	Patrick Manning
Succeeded by	Patrick Manning
4th Leader of the Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago
In office 17 December 2007 – 24 February 2010
Preceded by	Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Succeeded by	Kamla Persad-Bissessar
In office 17 October 2002 – 23 April 2006
Preceded by	Patrick Manning
Succeeded by	Kamla Persad-Bissessar
In office 10 September 1990 – 8 November 1995
Preceded by	Patrick Manning
Succeeded by	Patrick Manning
In office 24 September 1976 – 29 October 1986
Preceded by	Raffique Shah
Succeeded by	Patrick Manning
1st and 3rd Political Leader of the United National Congress
In office 10 September 2006 – 24 January 2010
Preceded by	Winston Dookeran
Succeeded by	Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago
In office 12 January 1987 – 8 February 1988
Preceded by	Errol Mahabir
Succeeded by	Sahadeo Basdeo
Minister of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago
In office 25 January 2001 – 24 December 2001
Member of Parliament for Couva North
In office 13 September 1976 – 24 May 2010
Preceded by	Constituency Created
Succeeded by	Ramona Ramdial
Personal details
Born	(1933-05-25)May 25, 1933 St. Julien Village, Princes Town, Trinidad and Tobago
Died	1 January 2024(2024-01-01) (aged 90)
Nationality	Trinidadian and Tobagonian
Political party	United National Congress (from 1989; nominally) Patriotic Front (from 2020)
Other political affiliations	CLUB '88 (1988–1989) National Alliance for Reconstruction (1986–1988) United Labour Front (1975–1986) Workers and Farmers Party (1965–1966) Democratic Labour Party (1957–1965; 1966–1976)
Spouses	Norma Mohammed (died 1981) Oma Ramkisson
Relatives	Sam Boodram (brother-in-law)
Education	Presentation College, San Fernando
Alma mater	University of London (BS) Inns of Court School of Law London School of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Politician
Awards	Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (2005)
Nickname	The Silver Fox

The Hon. Basdeo Panday (25 May 1933 – 1 January 2024) was a very important person in the history of Trinidad and Tobago. He was a lawyer, a politician, and a leader for workers. From 1995 to 2001, he served as the fifth Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.

Mr. Panday made history as the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago who was of Indian descent. He was also the first Hindu to hold this high office. He was first elected to Parliament in 1976. He represented the area of Couva North.

Throughout his long career, Panday was the Leader of the Opposition five times. This role means he led the main political party that was not in power. He also helped start several important political groups. These included the United Labour Front (ULF), the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), and the United National Congress (UNC). He led both the ULF and the UNC. He also led a big union for sugar and general workers.

In 2006, Mr. Panday faced legal challenges regarding a bank account. He was found guilty at first, but this decision was later overturned in 2007. He stepped down as chairman of the United National Congress in 2007, but the party asked him to stay. In 2010, he lost the party's internal election to Kamla Persad-Bissessar. In 2005, he received a special award from India called the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman.

Basdeo Panday's Early Life and Education

Basdeo Panday was born on May 25, 1933, in a village called St. Julien in Princes Town, British Trinidad and Tobago. His family was Indo-Trinidadian. His grandparents came from British India to Trinidad as part of a system where people worked on farms. His grandmother was from a farming village in India.

He went to New Grant Government School and St. Julien Presbyterian School. Later, he attended Presentation College, San Fernando. He worked for a short time weighing sugarcane. Then, he became a primary school teacher. He also worked as a civil servant at the San Fernando Magistrate's Court. He took notes for judges, including Noor Mohamed Hassanali, who later became President of Trinidad and Tobago when Panday was Prime Minister.

In 1957, Panday moved to the United Kingdom to study more. He earned a diploma in drama in 1960. He also got a law degree in 1962 and became a lawyer. In 1965, he earned a science degree in economics from the University of London. While studying, he worked different jobs to support himself. He was a construction worker, a clerk, and an electrician. He even acted in a few movies like Nine Hours to Rama (1963). In 1965, he decided to return to Trinidad and Tobago to practice law. This was because of his family and the changing political situation in the newly independent country.

Basdeo Panday's Political Journey

Starting in Politics

Basdeo Panday started his political journey in 1965. He joined the Workers and Farmers Party and tried to get elected to Parliament, but he didn't win that time. In 1972, he became an opposition senator for the Democratic Labour Party.

The next year, he joined the All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union. He soon became its leader. Under his leadership, the union grew to include workers from many different jobs. It became the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers' Trade Union.

In 1975, during a time of worker protests, Panday met with other union leaders. They started the United Labour Front. Panday and his friends were arrested during a march but were found not guilty.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Panday won the Couva North seat in the 1976 election. This made him a Member of Parliament (MP). He also became the official Leader of the Opposition. His party later split, and he briefly lost his leadership role but got it back in 1978.

After some local elections in 1980, Panday helped create the Trinidad and Tobago National Alliance. This group later became the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) in 1984. In 1986, the NAR won the general election by a lot. Panday became the Minister of External Affairs and International Trade.

However, the party soon faced problems. Panday felt there was unfair treatment against people of Indian descent. He also thought the government was too strict. This led to disagreements, and Panday and two other ministers were removed from the party in 1988.

Leading the UNC and Becoming Prime Minister

After leaving the NAR, Panday and the other ministers formed a group called CLUB '88. In 1989, this group became the United National Congress (UNC). In the 1991 election, the UNC, led by Panday, became the official opposition party.

The 1995 general election was a very important moment for Panday. The election ended with a tie between the ruling party and the UNC. The UNC then teamed up with another party, the NAR. This alliance brought the UNC into power. This made Basdeo Panday the first Indo-Trinidadian Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.

Panday led the UNC to win again in the 2000 election. He became Prime Minister for a second time. In 2001, some UNC members raised concerns about government corruption. This led to disagreements, and Panday had to call a new election.

The 2001 election resulted in another tie between the UNC and the PNM. This caused a big problem about who should lead the government. Both parties agreed to let the president decide. The president chose Patrick Manning of the PNM. Panday disagreed with this choice and refused to be the Leader of the Opposition. New elections were held in 2002. The PNM won, and the UNC became the opposition again. Panday served as Leader of the Opposition until 2006.

Later Political Challenges

Basdeo Panday and Mikko Pyhälä Ambassador of Finland

In 2005, Panday and some others were arrested on charges related to a construction contract. Panday chose to stay in prison for a week instead of accepting bail. His bail was later lowered, and he accepted it. These charges were dropped in 2012.

In 2005, Panday suggested Winston Dookeran as his successor for party leader. However, Panday kept his position as chairman. There were discussions about him handing over the Leader of the Opposition role, but he remained in that position.

In 2006, Panday was found guilty of not declaring a bank account. He was sentenced to two years. He appealed this decision. Because of this, he lost his position as Leader of the Opposition. Kamla Persad-Bissessar took his place.

However, in 2007, the Court of Appeal overturned his conviction. They said he might not have had a fair trial. A new trial was ordered, but it did not continue. This was because information came out linking the judge to a witness in the case.

In 2010, Panday lost the election for Political Leader of the UNC to Kamla Persad-Bissessar. He no longer held a position on the party's executive. In February 2010, President George Maxwell Richards officially named Persad-Bissessar as the new Leader of the Opposition. Panday did not run in the 2010 general elections, ending his time as a Member of Parliament.

In 2012, Panday was finally cleared of all charges related to the bank account. The judge said he had not been given a fair process. The charges from the Piarco Airport case were also dropped in 2012.

Return to Politics with Patriotic Front

On his birthday in 2019, Panday's daughter, Mickela, started a new political party called the Patriotic Front. Basdeo Panday, who was no longer closely involved with the UNC, supported his daughter's party. In 2020, he said he would support the Patriotic Front in the 2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election. He even said he was interested in returning to politics because of the country's situation. Mickela Panday announced that her father was the campaign manager for the party. However, the party later decided not to participate in the 2020 elections.

Basdeo Panday's Impact on Culture and Media

Cultural Impact of His Election

When Basdeo Panday became the first Indo-Trinidadian Prime Minister, it was a very important moment for people of Indian descent in Trinidad. Many felt it showed that their community had "arrived" and achieved great things. Panday used his position to address issues and make changes for the Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian community.

Religion and Holidays

Soon after becoming Prime Minister, Panday made a national holiday for the Shouter Baptists. This helped to make their religion more accepted. He also made sure that Indian Arrival Day would always be called by that name. He was known for respecting many different religions. He often used quotes from various religious texts in his speeches.

Music and Language

Panday was sometimes mentioned in popular songs called calypsos. Some of these songs were critical of him. In response, Panday warned that government-sponsored music competitions should not use taxpayer money to divide society.

Besides English, Panday also studied Hindi. He spoke about how important the Hindi language is in Trinidad and Tobago. He is also linked to the Trinidadian Hindustani word neemakharam, which means "ungrateful person." He used this word to describe his political opponents.

Relationship with the Press

Panday had some disagreements with the media during his time in politics. In 1996, a newspaper called the Trinidad Guardian published a photo of him with a drink. Panday was upset and told government officials not to give information to their reporters. He accused the editor of being unfair. This led to some staff members leaving the Guardian to start a new newspaper.

Panday also did not sign a document called the Declaration of Chapultepec. This document supports freedom of the press. He said he would not sign it until it addressed what he saw as the press having too much freedom to publish anything.

Basdeo Panday's Personal Life

Basdeo Panday was married to Oma Panday. He had four daughters: Niala, Mickela, Nicola, and Vastala. Niala was from his first marriage to Norma Panday, who passed away in 1981. Panday was the Chief Administrator of the Basdeo Panday Foundation, which is a charity. In 2019, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Trinidad and Tobago. His religion was Hinduism. His brother-in-law was the famous singer Sam Boodram.

Panday had a dog named Norman, who was a stray he adopted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, videos of Panday gardening and playing with Norman became popular online. People praised him for setting a good example by staying home.

His Passing

Basdeo Panday passed away on January 1, 2024, at the age of 90.

Basdeo Panday's Acting Roles

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Theatre Performances

Images for kids

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  Basdeo Panday and Mikko Pyhälä Ambassador of Finland

See also

In Spanish: Basdeo Panday para niños