'I was never a tenant'

FORMER prime minister Basdeo Panday is adamant he cannot be evicted from Rienzi Complex, Couva.

Panday’s lawyer wrote on Tuesday to the All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union whose president general, Nirvan Maharaj, is trying to evict the union’s founder.

Panday insists he was never a tenant of the union, and has maintained he has always had an office at Rienzi Complex, as of right, and has occupied it for the last 39 years. He claims he was illegally evicted from the office on February 21.

In three separate pre-action protocol letters to the union’s trustees – Rakeeb Mohammed, Sheldon Deonarine and Narad Sohan – attorney Vashist Maharaj said Panday was the honorary president of the union and lawfully occupied the office.

He said as the former president general of the union and honorary president, Panday has enjoyed the benefit of a designated office space at the union’s headquarters. The letter also said when Panday was installed as honorary president in 1997, it was “made abundantly clear” that he would be entitled to a rent-free office for life.

Maharaj accused the trustees of illegally and wrongfully evicting Panday and said he has since advised his client to make a report to the police.

The letter also said Panday has spent money to develop the office and the matter of rent-free occupation was settled in December 2010, when the union refused an offer of payment from Panday’s Basdeo Panday Foundation.

Maharaj has demanded that the locks on the doors to the office occupied by Panday be removed immediately, and that the trustees refrain from blocking or forcibly preventing the former PM from entering it.

The trustees were also warned of possible High Court proceedings if they interfere in any way with Panday's access to and occupation of the office. They were also told they are to pay him $17,500 in legal costs for the pre-action letter.

The letter said, “The union has been aware of the work done by our client in the development of the office. The union has always encouraged and acquiesced in our client’s belief that he would be entitled to the occupation of this office rent-free for the duration of his natural life.”

However, it has been reported that the union is not budging from its position, insisting Panday owed $500,000 in rent and it had no choice but to evict him. The union's president was reported as saying several attempts have been made over the years with Panday to discuss rent owed, and Panday ignored it.

The complex was also the United National Congress's headquarters for years. It also served as Panday's constituency office.

The UNC has left after being evicted by the union.

Panday is also represented by attorney Karuna Maraj.