Panday’s long Association with Guyana

Jan 04, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

Basdeo Panday died on New Year’s Day. He had several similarities with Cheddi Jagan. He was not only a politician; he was also a lawyer, politician, trade unionist, economist, actor, musician (table and dhantaal). He was a charismatic and charming figure. He is well known among Guyanese at home and in the diaspora because he mingled and socialized among them, visiting Guyana multiple times going back to the 1970s.

Panday, or Bas as we called him, had a long association with Guyanese and with Cheddi Jagan as he related to me in numerous conversations at his home, office, New York, Guyana, India, and elsewhere. He was enamored by and came across Cheddi in Trinidad after the suspension of the 1953 government before jetting off to London to further his studies in 1957 when democratic governance was restored in Guiana.

Panday would study with Guyanese in England during the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly during his law studies at Inns Court of Law. Like so many Guyanese, he became a member of Lincoln’s Inn and was called to the bar. (Panday also studied Economics obtaining a BS from University of London). In 1965, Panday was awarded a Commonwealth scholarship to pursue a PhD at the prestigious Delhi School of Economics. He decided to return home first and visit his family. He got caught up in local politics, culture, and family life and forego the scholarship. He ran for office and was resoundingly defeated as a candidate for the Workers and Farmers Party in 1966. He became a Senator in 1972 and won a seat as a ULF candidate to the House in 1976, becoming Opposition Leader.

Panday’s association with Guyanese deepened after 1966. He became close to Cheddi especially after the 1968 election rigging. Cheddi visited Trinidad regularly seeking support for free and fair election having meetings in Tunapuna, St. Augustine, and South Trinidad. In 1977, a group of Guyanese and Trinis formed an organization (Indo Club) in NY to champion free and fair elections. In 1978, I communicated with Panday, seeking the opposition support for our struggle for FFE and he was supportive.

Panday, who was also leader of the sugar workers union, was invited to Guyana by Dr Nanda Gopaul in late 1970s and addressed the NAACIE labor conference. He visited Guyana several times thereafter. He also visited New York at our invitation and discussing Guyanese and Trinidadian politics. At our urging, he raised the issue of rigged elections in Guyana in T&T Parliament during the late 1970s. Panday sought our assistance for his party in Trinidad, and he received our help that included a group of us traveling down to Trinidad and campaigning for his party in the 1981 elections.

During the late 1970s, Guyanese would migrate to Trinidad in search of better economic opportunities; in a racially polarized society, they naturally gravitated towards Panday’s Indian supported party ULF and other re-incarnations. Panday’s newly formed Trinidad and Tobago Alliance was resoundingly defeated. During the new parliament (1981-86), Panday, Trevor Sudama and Kelvin Ramnath would regularly raise the issue of fraudulent elections and human rights violations in Guyana. The opposition also called for regularization of status and amnesty for Guyanese living illegally in Trinidad. He spoke out against the abuse of Guyanese, particularly females, in Trinidad and their harassment at Piarco.

Panday entered into an alliance (NAR) with other opposition parties appealed for resources from our NY group; Guyanese responded positively including with funds from Ravi Dev, myself, and others. I also flew down and campaigned for the alliance. The NAR won the December 1986 elections and Panday would be appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs; Robinson was PM. As promised to us, Panday piloted amnesty and legalized status for Guyanese and other undocumented in Trinidad and Tobago in 1987. Panday also traveled to Guyana several times as Foreign Minister and called for FFE. He met Cheddi and other stalwarts involved in the struggle. Panday spoke out against Robinson’s reluctance to address rigged elections and human rights violations in Guyana; NAR MPs backpedaled on a commitment they made with us (including Ravi Dev’s and Depoo’s group GUDM) in NY to assist in our struggle for restoration of democracy in Guyana.

Panday (and Oma) visited New York in September 1987 for the UN General Assembly Session and met a group of us. The discussion focused on FFE in Guyana. Panday committed to intensify the struggle for racial and working-class equality in T&T and for restoration of democracy in Guyana.

On returning to Trinidad, Panday was told to take his “ten Indian seats and go”. He became more emboldened to speak out against racial discrimination. Robinson expelled Panday and several other Ministers and MPs affiliated with Panday. They sat in the opposition. Panday became opposition leader and continued championing the cause of FFE in Guyana. He (and Cheddi) were invited to and delivered keynote addresses at our Global conference on Indians in the diaspora at Columbia University in July 1988, and they held meetings. The duo would also meet again in August 1989 at the global convention of PIOs in NY. In conversations I had with Cheddi in NY, he complained that Panday was not left enough and that he should join the international movement against imperialism. Panday remained a centrist but was laborite who championed the working class.

Facing international political pressure including from Trinidad and Caribbean leaders, President Desmond Hoyte agreed to hold free and fair elections in October 1992 under international observers. The PPP won and Manning was present at the swearing in of Cheddi. But President Cheddi and Panday would meet several times. Several fundraisers were held by Guyanese New Yorkers for Panday’s UNC after 1991 and continuing till 2010. Panday would become PM in 1995. One of Panday’s earliest acts was cancellation of tens of millions of dollars in debt owed by Guyana. He traveled to Guyana as PM, meeting Cheddi.

Panday attended the state funeral of Cheddi who died in March 1997, spending several days and even traveling to Corentyne for the cremation and staying at Albion Estate. He would win re-election in December 2000; his government would collapse in 2001 in a fallout with Ramesh Maharaj, his AG who carried out a campaign against corruption. Panday expelled Ramesh and called snap elections and lost. Panday would not be able to make a comeback remaining opposition Leader till 2010 when he was defeated for party leadership by Kamla Persad Bissessar. He would meet Presidents Sam Hinds, Janet Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar, and Irfaan Ali in his various titles. Post 2010, Panday continued his association with Guyanese. (As an aside, Panday was gracious and warm towards me, taking my calls as Opposition Leader and as PM. I visited his private Philippines home and PM’s office announced and un-announced. Panday was also hosted as speaker at several functions organized by Guyanese in NY including by myself and Ashook Ramsaran when he led GOPIO. Deo Gosine, Ashook, and myself succeeded in reconciling Panday and Ramesh Maharaj at a PBD reception in Mumbai in January 2005 at the Taj Palace hotel. He also developed a very close relationship with Nohar Singh of Travel Span; Nohar hosted him and Oma at his home. Panday and Oma were also at several programs hosted by Nohar in Guyana and at Travel Span tours including last summer in Punta Cana.)

He attended several concerts where Guyanese entertained audiences in Trinidad, Guyana, New York and other locations and came to Guyana several times to watch cricket including for CPL last September.

He would be remembered by Guyanese for his contributions to the struggle for FFE and for his socializing with Guyanese who developed a likeness for him.

Yours truly,

Vishnu Bisram

Association, Basdeo Panday, charming, Cheddi Jagan, Guyana

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