Basdeo Panday

The Honourable Basdeo Panday SCMP
Sampson Nanton interviews Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Basdeo Panday in 1997.
5th Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
In office 25 January 2001 – 24 December 2001
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	Patrick Manning
In office 12 December 2000 – 24 January 2001
President	A. N. R. Robinson
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	Himself
In office 9 November 1995 – 11 December 2000
President	Noor Hassanali A. N. R. Robinson
Preceded by	Patrick Manning
Succeeded by	Himself
Political Leader United National Congress
In office 10 September 2006 – 24 January 2010
Preceded by	Winston Dookeran
Succeeded by	Kamla Persad-Bissessar
In office 16 October 1988 – 2 October 2005
Preceded by	Inaugural holder
Succeeded by	Winston Dookeran
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 28 November 1987 – 8 February 1988
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	Sahadeo Basdeo
In office 12 January 1987 – 27 November 1987
Preceded by	Errol Mahabir
Succeeded by	Himself
Leader of the Opposition
In office 17 December 2007 – 24 February 2010
Preceded by	Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Succeeded by	Kamla Persad-Bissessar
In office 17 October 2002 – 23 April 2006
Preceded by	Patrick Manning
Succeeded by	Kamla Persad-Bissessar
In office 23 December 1991 – 8 November 1995
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	Patrick Manning
In office 10 September 1990 – 19 November 1991
Preceded by	Patrick Manning
Succeeded by	Himself
In office 27 November 1981 – 29 October 1986
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	Patrick Manning
In office 1976 – 18 September 1981
Preceded by	Raffique Shah
Succeeded by	Himself
In office 1976–1977
Preceded by	John R. F. Richardson
Succeeded by	Raffique Shah
Member of Parliament for Couva North
In office 25 February 2010 – 8 April 2010
In office 5 April 2002 – 28 August 2002
Personal details
Born	(1933-05-25) 25 May 1933 (age 83) Princes Town, Victoria County, Princes Town Regional Corporation, Trinidad and Tobago
Political party	Workers and Farmers Party United Labour Front National Alliance for Reconstruction United National Congress(1989-prseant)
Spouse(s)	Norma Mohammed (died 1981) Oma Ramkisson
Children	Mickela Panday Nicola Panday Vastala Panday Niala Panday
Parents	Harry "Chote" Sookchand Kissondaye Panday
Relatives	Joseph Hardath Dube (grand uncle) Rabindranath Panday (brother) Subhas Panday (brother) Leela Panday (sister)
Residence	San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
Education	University of London
Occupation	Lawyer Politician Actor
Religion	Sanātanī Hinduism

The Hon. Basdeo Panday (born 25 May 1933) was the fifth Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2001; he also served as Leader of the Opposition from 1976–1977, 1978–1986, 1989–1995, 2001–2006 and 2007–2010. He was first elected to Parliament in 1976 as the Member for Couva North. He is the former Chairman and party leader of the Opposition United National Congress. In 2006, Panday was convicted of failing to declare a bank account in London and imprisoned but as of March 20, 2007, that conviction has been quashed by the Court of Appeal. He was granted bail on April 28 pending the outcome of his appeal due to his health condition and the poor state of health facilities at the Arouca prison. On May 1 he decided to resign as Chairman of the United National Congress, but the party's executive refuse to accept his resignation. However, he lost the party's internal elections on January 24, 2010 to Deputy Leader and current Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar by a large margin.

Basdeo Panday is married to Oma Panday née Ramkissoon and has four daughters Niala, Mickela, Nicola, and Vastala, one from his first marriage to Norma Panday née Mohammed who died in 1981. In 2006, he was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.

He was born in Princes Town, Trinidad to Harry "Chote" Sookchand and Kissoondaye Panday, who were both first-generation East Indian Arrivants to Trinidad and Tobago. Kissondaye's mother, along with her mother, came on the trip via Fiji (they had missed the boat going back to Fiji, so they took the one to Trinidad instead). Sookchand's Uncle, Joseph Hardath Dube was the General Secretary of the East Indian National Association, and was responsible for enrolling Panday in Presentation College, San Fernando. Before the college enrollment, Panday attended New Grant Government and St. Julien C.M. School.