Former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday has died

[Dohplaydat]

A grim way to start off 2024 on the first day of the new year.

Grim is what's happening in Ukraine, Palestine, all over Africa, Japan as of recent.

The passing of all old legend isn't grin. Love or hate him, Bas was a gift and a huge assets to our nation. Too bad he never got back into power.. neemakaran

[AlphaMan]

Panday made it all the way to 90 years.
God help us if Rolwey make it that far.

[aaron17]

RIP.....

[pugboy]

you would be robbed and killed long before that

Panday made it all the way to 90 years.
God help us if Rolwey make it that far.

[FrankChag]

FB link to Mickela's post announcing his death.



https://www.facebook.com/therealmickela ... t3QzCm3FKl

[maj. tom]

Panday to get first State funeral under Hindu rites
https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/panday-to-get-first-state-funeral-under-hindu-rites-6.2.1889652.376a1b733d

The body of Panday, who died in Florida, USA, is expected to be brought back to Trinidad tonight. Implicit in the arrangements for the State funeral is that the cost of this repatriation is being borne by the State.

The Express understands that the Government facilitated the arrangements for Panday to be transported by air ambulance to a Florida hospital, and as part of the arrangements for him as a former prime minister, the State met the cost of his medical care.
https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/family-accepts-offer-of-state-funeral/article_1a144f2a-a9d7-11ee-9609-0f87c02cebe4.html

[pugboy]

express say kamala issue a second statement

[bluefete]

express say kamala issue a second statement

She should just hush and keep quiet.

Print Guardian has an interview with Bas from 2019. He real mess up Kamla.

[FrankChag]

Poor Bas...

In 2001, with an 18/18 split, President ANR Robinson appointed Manning instead of the incumbent Panday for his "moral and spiritual values," (aka racism/creedism), and in spite of UNC having the popular vote (UNC 279,002 vs PNM 260,075).

https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2. ... 6df08cac56
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Trin ... l_election

As a young person, I remember that being one of my first realized experiences of "Black Privilege" / "Christian Privilege" in this country. When a man's literal job gets swiped from him, because of "moral and spiritual values."

Insane..

but you know.. C’est la vie. Still a lot of nice decent people here.

[sMASH]

Poor Bas...

In 2001, with an 18/18 split, President ANR Robinson appointed Manning instead of the incumbent Panday for his "moral and spiritual values," (aka racism/creedism), and in spite of UNC having the popular vote (UNC 279,002 vs PNM 260,075).

https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2. ... 6df08cac56
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Trin ... l_election

As a young person, I remember that being one of my first realized experiences of "Black Privilege" / "Christian Privilege" in this country. When a man's literal job gets swiped from him, because of "moral and spiritual values."

Insane..

but you know.. C’est la vie. Still a lot of nice decent people here.

This was the turning point when we started to head down hill.
If he had the second term, most likely we would have achieved first world status, at that time.

The country and future generations suffered his 18/18 loss

[Rovin]

look at d kinda thing this man come from & pass thru ...

copy\paste from fb

Ken Ali

SUBHAS: MY BROTHER, BASDEO
SUBHAS

Panday remembers the grinding poverty he, his brother Basdeo and other siblings faced.
“Bas was born in 1933, just 16 years after the end of indentureship and my parents had been ‘bound cooolies’ (contracted workers),” Subhas related when we spoke this afternoon.
Parents Sookchand and Krishendaye Panday were illiterate workers who endured hardship that was typical of the era.
Subhas said that that adversity impacted Panday throughout his life, and explains why he struggled for a better deal for sugar workers and, as Prime Minister, introduced pro-working class measures.
“He had a genuine love for the poor.”
Panday also did symbolic things to identify with common people, Subhas said.
They included placing cane cutter Dora Bridgemohan and religious leader Barbara Burke in the Senate.
“He wanted the country to know anyone could aspire to high office.”
Years before, Bas had walked barefooted “three, four miles” to school, and when he later passed exams for Presentation College, the family was unable to send him.
A relative helped.
In between, Bas worked the cocoa fields and at a Williamsville sugar cane scale, all the time restless and wondering whether this was his fate in life.
He was a school teacher, after which he was a note-taker in the magistrate’s court of Noor Hassanali, who later became the country’s Head of State.
“Mr. Hassanali had great influence on him,” Subhas said.
With a scholarship, he boarded S.S. Sorento for Italy and then travelled to England to study law.
He toiled for his upkeep, including at one time, 16 hours a day as an electrician helper.
In T&T, Bas had worked in the theatre, in a group headed by Lloyd Phillip, who, in 1971, became the PNM-sponsored Member of Parliament for Princes Town.
In England, he used his thespian craft to earn money to put food on the table and pay rent.
He got work in several theatre productions and bit parts in three movies – The Prophet of Kandahar, Man in the Middle, and Nine Hours to Rama.
“He was finally able to begin his studies,” Subhas reflected.
He later graduated from the prestigious University of London with a degree in politics, philosophy and economics.
Bas landed a PhD scholarship to study in India.
He travelled home to meet his mother and linked up with left-wing activists of the era, C.L.R. James, Stephen Maharaj, Nuevo Diaz and others.
They convinced Bas to enter domestic politics instead of spending more years in a classroom.
“That is how he put down his political bucket,” Subhas said.
So, how does Subhas, 16 years younger, recall his distinguished elder brother?
“We came from poverty and he never forgot the poor and common people.
“Our early years were hard and he devoted his entire life in the service of the people.
“He spent his life elevating others.
“That is how I will remember my brother.”

[paid_influencer]

one of my first realized experiences of "Black Privilege" / "Christian Privilege"

this does not exist tho

ANR had plenty history with Panday so i donno if it fair to reduce it to anti-hindu/anti-indian sentiment. In his lifetime, Panday was a controversial figure, after all ('ole teef' and 'jailbird')

[Country_Bookie]

Poor Bas...

In 2001, with an 18/18 split, President ANR Robinson appointed Manning instead of the incumbent Panday for his "moral and spiritual values," (aka racism/creedism), and in spite of UNC having the popular vote (UNC 279,002 vs PNM 260,075).

https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2. ... 6df08cac56
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Trin ... l_election

As a young person, I remember that being one of my first realized experiences of "Black Privilege" / "Christian Privilege" in this country. When a man's literal job gets swiped from him, because of "moral and spiritual values."

Insane..

but you know.. C’est la vie. Still a lot of nice decent people here.

RIP to the Silver Fox.

What you posted above is a bit of revisionist history. UNC was the incumbent party in power before the 18 -18 deadlock elections. What Panday should've done is say he remains the PM until another party has a majority in the house of representatives to be able to form a government. Instead he decided to negotiate with Manning in Crown Plaza. After the negotiations he talk one set of nonsense that he and Manning will form a government of national unity. Essentially they didn't agree on a thing..... they just went to Robinson and tell him to decide.

That right there was the fatal mistake in his political career. Just a year earlier, Robinson had caused a constitutional crisis by refusing to swear in UNC candidates who lost their seats in the 2000 election as ministers of government. It should have been clear to Panday then that Robinson would act against him. Robinson didn't want to be a usual figurehead do nothing president like we're used to..... he wanted to actually have power. Given that Panday had to have known this, he opened up himself to Robinson removing him from office and installing Manning..... when Manning didn't have a majority.

Manning hadn't won an election in 11 years at that point and the Rottweiler Rowley was waiting in the wings to take over as political leader. When he became PM, he knew there would be another election the next year and he needed to do everything possible to win. Government revenue was booming because of the LNG plants that had come on stream and he used these revenues to buy a support from criminal gangs and Jamaat. The rest is history.

TL;DR Panday allowed himself to be out maneuvered by Robinson and Manning in the 2001 election after the 18-18 deadlock.

[AlphaMan]

Both kams and Bas have multiple degrees in different areas yet the Geology man have more houses than anyone in the country. How is that possible
Btw his body has arrived in Trinidad at 7pm tonight Wednesday 3rd January 2024.

[The_Honourable]

Poor Bas...

In 2001, with an 18/18 split, President ANR Robinson appointed Manning instead of the incumbent Panday for his "moral and spiritual values," (aka racism/creedism), and in spite of UNC having the popular vote (UNC 279,002 vs PNM 260,075).

https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2. ... 6df08cac56
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Trin ... l_election

As a young person, I remember that being one of my first realized experiences of "Black Privilege" / "Christian Privilege" in this country. When a man's literal job gets swiped from him, because of "moral and spiritual values."

Insane..

but you know.. C’est la vie. Still a lot of nice decent people here.

RIP to the Silver Fox.

What you posted above is a bit of revisionist history. UNC was the incumbent party in power before the 18 -18 deadlock elections. What Panday should've done is say he remains the PM until another party has a majority in the house of representatives to be able to form a government. Instead he decided to negotiate with Manning in Crown Plaza. After the negotiations he talk one set of nonsense that he and Manning will form a government of national unity. Essentially they didn't agree on a thing..... they just went to Robinson and tell him to decide.

That right there was the fatal mistake in his political career. Just a year earlier, Robinson had caused a constitutional crisis by refusing to swear in UNC candidates who lost their seats in the 2000 election as ministers of government. It should have been clear to Panday then that Robinson would act against him. Robinson didn't want to be a usual figurehead do nothing president like we're used to..... he wanted to actually have power. Given that Panday had to have known this, he opened up himself to Robinson removing him from office and installing Manning..... when Manning didn't have a majority.

Manning hadn't won an election in 11 years at that point and the Rottweiler Rowley was waiting in the wings to take over as political leader. When he became PM, he knew there would be another election the next year and he needed to do everything possible to win. Government revenue was booming because of the LNG plants that had come on stream and he used these revenues to buy a support from criminal gangs and Jamaat. The rest is history.

TL;DR Panday allowed himself to be out maneuvered by Robinson and Manning in the 2001 election after the 18-18 deadlock.

Country_Bookie got it right.

The "moral and spiritual values" line by Robinson wasn't about country as it was politically portrayed, it was personal for what Panday did in 1988 and especially in 1997. In 88, ULF Panday was opposing Robinson in the NAR coalition. Robbie saw this as a threat and expelled Panday, John Humphrey and Kelvin Ramnath. Panday took several members with him (Club 88) where they opposed Robinson together with Manning's PNM who was in opposition. PNM had Robinson in mind for "disrespecting" Williams as Robbie was deputy political leader and he walked out the party in 1970 after black power. When the attempted coup happened in 1990 and Robbie got shot, he always believed Manning and Panday had knowledge and used it to their political benefit in the 1991 elections. NAR got voted out and Robbie's political career was on the ropes as he only had Tobago.

When 1995 elections came around and the deadlock was 17-17-2, Robbie knew Panday needed the NAR's two tobago seats to form the government. In return, Robbie would become the first President from tobago, (also first former PM to be president), and his political career would not end on a sour note. If Panday goes rouge, NAR pulls out and the government collapses. Nice plan, executed well, but what he did not cater for was two PNM members (Lasse and Griffith) crossing the floor in 1997 meaning the NAR power play was neutralized and Panday did not have to worry about any threat to the UNC government. After this, Robinson believed Panday began mocking the NAR party and Tobago but he couldn't do anything about it as President... until 2001.

By this time, Panday was politically fatigued with party infighting from Ramesh team unity faction so Robbie smell blood. As outlined by bookie, once PNM finally had the majority in 2002 Panday never ketch himself since becoming a liability in the late 2000s.

[Team Loco]

RIP Mr Panday. A gentle soul. I had the honor of working on his lc 2 mths ago. Speaking with both Oma Panday and Bas was like a breath of fresh air. I rebuilt the twin turbos on his lc. He said he wanted the vehicle to fly again

RIP

[FrankChag]

one of my first realized experiences of "Black Privilege" / "Christian Privilege"

this does not exist tho

ANR had plenty history with Panday so i donno if it fair to reduce it to anti-hindu/anti-indian sentiment. In his lifetime, Panday was a controversial figure, after all ('ole teef' and 'jailbird')

It's not the same as American/European white privilege, because it's largely limited to the T&T public sector.
But it is there. Take a stroll through any senior position in any Ministry or Agency from the 1970s onward. Unless its an doctor or engineering position, it's more likely to be a black guy/lady than anything else.

As for the ANR v Panday bickering, Robinson was the problem more than Panday. Anyone who knew them well and the history of the NAR will tell you that. And at that moment in 2001, Robinson let his person vindictiveness and hatred for Panday rule over precedent.

At least that's my perspective of that time. And I'm not alone in it. But that was 20 years ago. Much has changed. But we should not forget. It was part of Bas's history and struggle as an Indo-Trini living with Black Privilege in Trinidad.

[FrankChag]

I was very young at the time, so I yield to your better memory.
The outcome though is the reality we're living in.

[Dizzy28]

A FUNERAL FOR THE FOX AT SAPA
The funeral of former prime minister Basdeo Panday will be held next Tuesday morning at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) in San Fernando.
Panday’s body arrived at Piarco International Airport from Florida, USA, on a Ca­ribbean Airlines flight just after 6.30 p.m. yesterday.
Panday’s body was placed in a white hearse, which was escorted by a police entourage to Dass Funeral Home, San Fernando.
Panday, 90, died on Monday at a hospital in Florida where he had been receiving medical treatment since mid-December 2023. The former prime minister had suffered with heart ailments.
Condolence books in memory of Panday will open for signing by the public today.
President Christine Kangaloo was the first to sign the condolence book at the Parliament, Port of Spain, yesterday.
The President also met with the Panday family who had gathered at the Parliament for the opening of the condolence book.
Meanwhile, the Minister of National Security has advised that the national flag is to be flown at half-mast until the end of the day of the State funeral service for Panday.
Video: Express chief photographer Dexter Philip
https://www.facebook.com/ExpressNewspapers

[bluefete]

[K74T]

Nah

[redmanjp]

one of my first realized experiences of "Black Privilege" / "Christian Privilege"

this does not exist tho

ANR had plenty history with Panday so i donno if it fair to reduce it to anti-hindu/anti-indian sentiment. In his lifetime, Panday was a controversial figure, after all ('ole teef' and 'jailbird')

It's not the same as American/European white privilege, because it's largely limited to the T&T public sector.
But it is there. Take a stroll through any senior position in any Ministry or Agency from the 1970s onward. Unless its an doctor or engineering position, it's more likely to be a black guy/lady than anything else.

As for the ANR v Panday bickering, Robinson was the problem more than Panday. Anyone who knew them well and the history of the NAR will tell you that. And at that moment in 2001, Robinson let his person vindictiveness and hatred for Panday rule over precedent.

At least that's my perspective of that time. And I'm not alone in it. But that was 20 years ago. Much has changed. But we should not forget. It was part of Bas's history and struggle as an Indo-Trini living with Black Privilege in Trinidad.

yeah. we ever had an indian CoP?

[Rovin]

hindus cremate within 3 days of death [if ppl want to know why : google it] , its obvious it will take a few days to bring his body from foreign so its rather unusual to have his final rites done 8days after ... i guess d family has their reasons

[maj. tom]

ole talk. The Rule of Threes

Local politicians.
Marlene McDonald
Hochoy Charles
Basdeo Panday

[FrankChag]

one of my first realized experiences of "Black Privilege" / "Christian Privilege"

this does not exist tho

ANR had plenty history with Panday so i donno if it fair to reduce it to anti-hindu/anti-indian sentiment. In his lifetime, Panday was a controversial figure, after all ('ole teef' and 'jailbird')

It's not the same as American/European white privilege, because it's largely limited to the T&T public sector.
But it is there. Take a stroll through any senior position in any Ministry or Agency from the 1970s onward. Unless its an doctor or engineering position, it's more likely to be a black guy/lady than anything else.

As for the ANR v Panday bickering, Robinson was the problem more than Panday. Anyone who knew them well and the history of the NAR will tell you that. And at that moment in 2001, Robinson let his person vindictiveness and hatred for Panday rule over precedent.

At least that's my perspective of that time. And I'm not alone in it. But that was 20 years ago. Much has changed. But we should not forget. It was part of Bas's history and struggle as an Indo-Trini living with Black Privilege in Trinidad.

yeah. we ever had an indian CoP?

In 116 years, TT has had 2 "Indo" CoPs: Gary (2018-2021) and Noor Mohammed (1996-1998).

That's about 6 years, so about 5% of the time over the last century or so.

https://www.ttps.gov.tt/About/Past-Commissioners

[maj. tom]

hindus cremate within 3 days of death [if ppl want to know why : google it] , its obvious it will take a few days to bring his body from foreign so its rather unusual to have his final rites done 8days after ... i guess d family has their reasons

Hindus have the funeral, shaving and bandara and then the 1 year.
Lots of people don't eat the food at those thanksgiving offerings because the whole "dead people food" myth.

[Dizzy28]

one of my first realized experiences of "Black Privilege" / "Christian Privilege"

this does not exist tho

ANR had plenty history with Panday so i donno if it fair to reduce it to anti-hindu/anti-indian sentiment. In his lifetime, Panday was a controversial figure, after all ('ole teef' and 'jailbird')

It's not the same as American/European white privilege, because it's largely limited to the T&T public sector.
But it is there. Take a stroll through any senior position in any Ministry or Agency from the 1970s onward. Unless its an doctor or engineering position, it's more likely to be a black guy/lady than anything else.

As for the ANR v Panday bickering, Robinson was the problem more than Panday. Anyone who knew them well and the history of the NAR will tell you that. And at that moment in 2001, Robinson let his person vindictiveness and hatred for Panday rule over precedent.

At least that's my perspective of that time. And I'm not alone in it. But that was 20 years ago. Much has changed. But we should not forget. It was part of Bas's history and struggle as an Indo-Trini living with Black Privilege in Trinidad.

yeah. we ever had an indian CoP?

In 116 years, TT has had 2 "Indo" CoPs: Gary (2018-2021) and Noor Mohammed (1996-1998).

That's about 6 years, so about 5% of the time over the last century or so.

https://www.ttps.gov.tt/About/Past-Commissioners

Gary Grifffith is an Indo-Trinidadian?

[FrankChag]

Dunno. What is he then? Latino?

[Dizzy28]

Dunno. What is he then? Latino?

Our census records two categories of mixed race who cumulatively account for around a quarter of the population.
Mixed - African/East Indian
Mixed - Other

If I had to guess it would one of those.

[Dizzy28]

SDMS announced they will rename Shiva Boys to the Basdeo Panday Shiva Boys High School

More or less in line with their honouring system. Just in my area alone the three hindu primary schools are
Simbhoonath Capildo Tunapuna Hindu School
Daljit Moosai El Dorado South Hindu School
Raj and Sati Jadoo El Dorado North Hindu School

I'm sure alot of the others in thr SDMS system are the same