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THE EDITOR: It is with profound sadness that I learnt of the passing of former prime minister and UNC political leader Basdeo Panday. Our country has truly lost one of the greatest sons of our soil, a man whose life service to TT was nothing short of trailblazing, inspiring and heroic.
For my part, I have lost my political guru and mentor, the man who personally inspired me to pursue a career in politics, and a dear lifelong friend.
Panday’s life itself is a story of incredible greatness and inspirational heroism – a poor, rural, Indo-Trinidadian boy consigned to social and economic marginalisation, defying and overcoming every single obstacle to study law in the UK and then become one of TT’s greatest trade unionists, politicians, prime ministers and, perhaps, the greatest patriot in our nation’s history.
Panday and I first met back in the 1970s at a function at my late brother’s (Justice Lloyd Gopeesingh) home. Panday and Lloyd were legal colleagues then. In 1993, as a then member of the NAR, Panday invited me to work alongside him and the UNC to help him achieve his lifelong dream of national unity.
In 1994-95 I assisted him in forming the National Unity Platform, which saw the UNC winning 17 seats (from its previous 13) in the 1995 general election, and Panday’s historic achievement of becoming the first Indo-Trinidadian prime minister.
Thereafter, from 1997 to 2001, I had the immense honour and privilege of serving under his pioneering UNC government in various portfolios in education and health, memorably as chairman of two RHAs, senator and acting minister of integrated planning and development. From 2002 to 2007, in opposition, I served as a senator and then Caroni East MP from 2007 to 2010, at Panday’s behest.
As prime minister, Panday ran one of the best governments in this country’s and region’s history. His pioneering policies and initiatives ensured one of the best economic and social periods that TT has ever lived through.
Panday was indeed my political guru. I called him “Chief” all my political life, in acknowledgement of the fact that all that I have learnt in my 30 years of politics is due to his inspirational living example, his lessons, teachings, wisdom, actions, his great vision for a truly united country of equality and justice, and his undeniable ability to beat all odds, to overcome all struggles and simply shine on.
He always taught us, his mentees and most devoted supporters, the most important credentials of life in politics, which he easily summed up in three rules: “Don’t ever tell a lie, because it comes back to haunt you. Do what your conscience and heart tells you, and always do what is right.”
On his 90th birthday last year, when I called to wish him the happiest of birthdays, always the wise teacher, Panday gave me his unending advice and wisdom – telling me to not let regrets of the past haunt me and to move on in peace.
Today, as our nation mourns the death of this truly great man, and I endure grief at his passing, I take inspiration in his legacy, aptly encapsulated in the words of Leo Tolstoy, who once said:
“There is something in the human spirit that will survive and prevail, there is a tiny and brilliant light burning in the heart of man that will not go out no matter how dark the world becomes.”
May Basdeo Panday’s great light inspire us for generations to come, may his family and loved ones find comfort during this trying time, and may his truly great soul rest in eternal peace.

DR TIM GOPEESINGH

former MP and minister
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