Parliament opens condolence book for Panday

PRESIDENT Christine Kangaloo joined relatives of former prime minister the late Basdeo Panday on Wednesday to sign a condolence book opened by the Parliament at the Rotunda of the Red House in Port of Spain. Those present included Panday's daughter Nicola and his younger brother Subhas Panday.

Panday, 90, died in the United States after recent surgery. His body arrived at Piarco International Airport on the evening of January 3, accompanied by his widow Oma and daughter Mickela.

When Newsday visited the Red House at lunchtime, a police officer said the book was not yet open to the general public.

Parliament, via WhatsApp, told reporters the condolence book will be open to the public on Thursday from 1 pm-6 pm, Friday 8 am-6 pm and Monday 8 am-6 pm.

Locally, the books will be at the Rotunda of the Red House, Tobago House of Assembly legislative chamber in Scarborough; the Arima, Chaguanas, Diego Martin and Point Fortin borough corporations; the Port of Spain City Corporation; and the Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, San Juan/Laventille, Sangre Grande and Tunapuna/Piarco regional corporations.

Overseas, there are books at Trinidad and Tobago's missions in Brussels, Belgium; Brasilia, Brazil; Beijing, China; San José, Costa Rica; Havana, Cuba; Panama City, Panama; Washington DC; Caracas, Venezuela; Ottawa, Canada; New Delhi, India; Kingston, Jamaica; Abuja, Nigeria; Pretoria, South Africa; London, UK; Permanent Mission to the UN, Geneva, Switzerland; Georgetown, Guyana; Toronto, Canada; Miami and New York.

The national flag will remain at half-mast until the end of the day of the state funeral for Panday. No date has been announced for the service.

On Monday, the Government announced a state funeral would be held for Panday and the national flag will be flown at half-mast at all state and non-state agencies in remembrance of him.

Two of Panday's predecessors, Patrick Manning, who died on July 9, 2016, and Arthur NR Robinson, who died on May 2, 2014, also had state funerals.