Tancoo: Panday's life should inspire young people

OROPOUCHE West MP Davendranath Tancoo wants every young person of Trinidad and Tobago irrespective of background to be inspired by the life of former prime minister Basdeo Panday to aspire to be the best that they can be, he said on Sunday at a UNC briefing at party headquarters in Chaguanas.

Panday, 90, died last Monday after recent medical treatment in the United States. On Monday, his body will lie in honour at SAPA, San Fernando, where his funeral will be held at 8.30 am on Tuesday after which his body will be cremated.

Tancoo hailed Panday for his “improbable and inspirational path from rural Princes Town to the Prime Minister’s office.”

He said, “This message is for the ten-year-old boy in Couva and for the 11-year-old girl in East Port of Spain who just entered form one.

“This message is for the 14-year(-old) young man in Scarborough preparing to sit CSEC exams and the young woman who is about to embark on her second semester at university. This message is for every child, every boy and girl, every young woman and young man in TT who dreams bigger and who dreams of something better for their country, for their families and for themselves.”

He traced Panday’s life from “the humblest of beginnings” – as the child of a poor family from Princes Town and a sugar cane weigher – to become a teacher, then labour leader, then MP, opposition leader and ultimately prime minister.

Tancoo hoped Panday’s life would inspire youngsters.

“They too can accomplish any goal on which they set their sights and are willing to work to achieve.”

He hailed Panday’s commitment to national unity for facilitating the NAR’s electoral win in 1986.

Tancoo encountered Panday at a meeting after Panday left the NAR.

“I was in absolute awe. His slight physical build was eclipsed by his larger-than-life presence. Full of charm and charisma, he quickly welcomed us with a joke.”

Tancoo recalled once thinking he had botched an interview for opposition chief economist.

“As I walked in, he asked me one question: what do you honestly think is Basdeo Panday’s biggest flaw? Without thinking, I responded with all the impulsiveness of my generation, that ‘I think Mr Panday’s biggest flaw is that he argues with people rather than arguing about issues.’”

Tancoo said Panday had smirked, shaken his hand, thanked him for coming, and shown him the door.

“I was crushed.”

Tancoo said his whole family reckoned he had blown the opportunity of a lifetime.

“One week later, I got a call from Mr Panday himself, asking why I was not at work at his office.

“I told him that I thought my answer had offended him and that I botched the interview.

“He laughed and said everybody else had told him what they thought he wanted to hear, but that I was the only person who he interviewed who gave an honest answer.”

Recalling his many subsequent talks with Panday, Tancoo hailed his commitment to boost employment, government revenues and standards of living, while lowering the crime rate.

“I would ask him questions of all sorts, about life, politics and law. He would invariably have a story of his own experience to explain his views.”

Tancoo said Panday’s work ethic let him hold three full time jobs at once – lawyer, politician and union leader.

“I heard of his determination to pursue his dream to become an actor, and the personal sacrifices to pursue law and to simultaneously support his siblings as they pursued careers as well.

“I learned of his long hours as a labourer and trainee electrician to fund his studies in London.”

He said Panday espoused the importance of family. When growing up, he never realised he was poor because he was surrounded by community, fellowship and love.

“In many ways I think it was his own experience of lifting himself out of poverty and confronting some of the challenges he faced, that guided so many of his decisions as a politician that we speak about today.

“He was a gifted orator, communicating not only with commanding tones and a persuasive cadence, but with all the riveting gestures of a trained dramatist.

“But when he spoke, he spoke from his heart, like a caring father, from a genuine desire to uplift people so that they didn’t have to experience the difficulties he himself had lived.”

Tancoo saluted Panday for creating watchdog institutions and hoped they would be preserved.

These were “the Integrity Commission to end corruption, the Equal Opportunities Commission to end discrimination, OSH Act to protect workers, the Children’s Authority to protect children, the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund to save for future generations and the Freedom of Information Act to provide transparency.

Opposition Senator Wade Mark recalled Panday’s charisma, vision and a sense of mission.

The UNC’s principles of equality, justice, national unity and a better work life for all, were Panday’s legacy.

Mark saluted Panday for raising the wages and providing housing for sugar workers who had largely faced part-time employment.

He hailed Panday for steadily raising the old age pension each year, moving it from $336 to $620 per month over three years.

Mark said Panday had raised the ceiling for people getting national insurance benefits to receive a senior citizens grant, from $5,000 to $7,000.

He said Panday had given the population phenomenal social benefits, despite his national budget annually being only $12-16 billion.

Mark hailed Panday for allowing the second-hand car trade, giving the ordinary person a chance to own a car.

“That contributed to the expansion of the middle class in TT.”

Panday had also helped the population by zero-rating food items like cheese and curry. He recalled Panday buying Bennett Farms to create Palmiste Park and giving Pan Trinbago land at Trincity to build a headquarters.

Mark recalled new laws under Panday to allow accountability such as regards judicial review, equal opportunities, freedom of information and public integrity. Mark said those acts could be a deadly weapon to be used by the then PNM opposition, but Panday had facilitated those voluntarily.

Tancoo invited people to attend a UNC anti-crime public forum next Monday (January 15) at 6 pm at La Joya Complex, St Joseph.

He also invited people to attend Panday’s cremation.

“The funeral service will leave SAPA at 12.45 pm and will then proceed to the Mosquito Creek for cremation.

“I am inviting members of the public. Join us at the Mosquito Creek, as we pay final tribute to this legend, founder of our political organisation, the UNC.”