Panday’s brother was worried about crime

RABINDRANATH ‘Raj’ Panday, 65, brother of Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday, who was cremated yesterday, was worried about the upsurge of crime in this country. In the eulogy, at the funeral, Panday’s nephew Lalchan Dhanoo-Matt said his uncle wanted to return to Trinidad to live but was concerned about crime.

“Uncle Raj, said that he wanted to come back here to live but admitted that he was afraid of the crime wave in the country, hence the reason for him still residing in England. He was here on vacation, when he succumbed to his illness and passed on,” Dhanoo-Matt told mourners gathered at the residence of Subhas Panday in Buen Intento, Princes Town, for the funeral. He said the Opposition Leader and his wife, Oma were not able to attend the funeral because they could not get a flight from India in time. Subhas Panday, MP for Princes Town broke down in tears as he spoke about his late brother, who he described as kind and generous.

“We grew up with a poor background but all in all we had good times. He played a pivotal role in my life, as well as the lives of his nieces and nephews,” he said. He revealed that his brother had not planned to be a lifelong bachelor: “He never wanted to die alone. He kept his hopes high about finding his mate until the last.” Mourners at the funeral included Chaguanas MP Manohar Ramsaran, Caroni Central MP Dr Hamza Rafeeq, UNC Senator Roy Augustus and former house speaker Dr Rupert Griffith.