Basdeo Panday

Basdeo Panday (pronounced [bɑːsəd̪eːoː pɑːⁿɖeː]; 25 May 1933 – 1 January 2024) was a Trinidadian and Tobagonian statesman, lawyer, politician, trade unionist, economist, and actor who served as the fifth Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2001. He was the first person of Indian descent along with being the first Hindu to hold the office of Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He was first elected to Parliament in 1976 as the Member for Couva North, Panday served as Leader of the Opposition four times between 1976 and 2010 and was a founding member of the United Labour Front (ULF), the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), and the United National Congress (UNC). He served as leader of the ULF and UNC, and was President General of the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers' Trade Union from 1973 to 1995.

The Honourable
Basdeo Panday
बसदेव पाण्डे
Panday in 2008
5th Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
In office
9 November 1995 – 24 December 2001
PresidentNoor Mohamed Hassanali
A. N. R. Robinson
Preceded byPatrick Manning
Succeeded byPatrick Manning
Senior political offices
4th Leader of the Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago
In office
17 December 2007 – 24 February 2010
Prime MinisterPatrick Manning
Preceded byKamla Persad-Bissessar
Succeeded byKamla Persad-Bissessar
In office
17 October 2002 – 23 April 2006
Prime MinisterPatrick Manning
Preceded byPatrick Manning
Succeeded byKamla Persad-Bissessar
In office
10 September 1990 – 8 November 1995
Prime MinisterA. N. R. Robinson
Patrick Manning
Preceded byPatrick Manning
Succeeded byPatrick Manning
In office
24 September 1976 – 29 October 1986
Prime MinisterGeorge Chambers
Eric Williams
Preceded byRaffique Shah
Succeeded byPatrick Manning
1st and 3rd Political Leader of the United National Congress
In office
10 September 2006 – 24 January 2010
Preceded byWinston Dookeran
Succeeded byKamla Persad-Bissessar
In office
16 October 1988 – 2 October 2005
Preceded byInaugural holder
Succeeded byWinston Dookeran
Ministerial offices
9th Minister of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago
In office
12 January 1987 – 8 February 1988
Prime MinisterA. N. R. Robinson
Preceded byErrol Mahabir
Succeeded bySahadeo Basdeo
Minister of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago
In office
25 January 2001 – 24 December 2001
Prime MinisterHimself
Preceded byJoseph Theodore
Succeeded byHoward Chin Lee
Parliamentary offices
Member of Parliament
for Couva North
In office
13 September 1976 – 24 May 2010
Preceded byConstituency Created
Succeeded byRamona Ramdial
Opposition Member of the Senate of Trinidad and Tobago
In office
15 Sep 1972 – 19 Jun 1976
Trade union positions
President General of All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers' Trade Union
In office
1978–1995
Preceded byHimself as President General of ATSEFWU
Succeeded byBoysie Moore-Jones
President General of All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union
In office
1973–1978
Preceded byKrishna Gowandan
Succeeded byHimself as President General of ATSGWTU
Personal details
Born(1933-05-25)25 May 1933
St. Julien Village, Princes Town, Trinidad and Tobago
Died1 January 2024(2024-01-01) (aged 90)
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Resting placeAshes scattered in the Gulf of Paria, Trinidad and Tobago
NationalityTrinidadian and Tobagonian
Political partyUnited 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)
Spouse(s)Norma Mohammed (died 1981)
Oma Ramkissoon
RelativesSam Boodram (brother-in-law)
Residence(s)Bryan’s Gate, Phillipine, Penal-Debe, Trinidad and Tobago
EducationPresentation College, San Fernando
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Politician
  • lawyer
  • actor
  • economist
AwardsPravasi Bharatiya Samman (2005)
NicknameThe Silver Fox

He was the chairman and party leader of the United National Congress. In 2006, Panday was convicted of failing to declare a bank account in London and imprisoned; however, on 20 March 2007, that conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal. On 1 May he decided to resign as chairman of the United National Congress, but the party's executive refused to accept his resignation. He lost the party's internal elections on 24 January 2010, to deputy leader and now former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

In 2005, he was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.

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