Panday – great divider

I am a young man born, bred and educated out of the sweat and blood of my grandparents and parents who worked in the sugar industry. My family members worked hard, cried and suffered in poverty, but struggled to ensure that my life and the life of the family I will one day have will be better.

Because of what my parents and grandparents have told me over the years and because of my own research, I have time and time again warned the nation that Basdeo Panday was the man who single-handedly pauperised the people of the sugar industry. Many have threatened and verbally attacked me because they didn’t have the facts that I have.

Today, I hope the eyes of many have been opened. Panday spent his early career dividing the sugar union so that he could take control of it. When he undermined Rampartapsingh, it was because he went out as PRO of the sugar union and divided the membership to secure his move to become president general. That is fact!

When he got into Parliament, as a PNM senator, he moved to form the ULF and in a very short time by 1976, he moved to divide the party against Raffique Shah so he could gain full control of the party. It didn’t matter that the ULF could never form a government, he just wanted control.

When Panday was given the opportunity to become a government minister in 1986, it didn’t take long before he tried to divide the Government and in so doing created instability again when he decided to go back to the Opposition.

When Panday was given another opportunity in 1995, it didn’t take long before he divided his own government by alienating the NAR Parliamentarians who gave him the prime ministership. Had it not been for the two turncoat PNM Parliamentarians, his government would have fallen within one year.

By 2001, Panday again followed his instinct to divide when he lost control of his own government and it fell. He happily went back into Opposition yet again.

Today, after a long career of creating instability, dividing and destroying communities so that he could rule them, he has now taken his last stand by attempting to divide the Hindu community. When history is written, this would probably be listed as Panday’s most hurtful, and most unforgivable acts of division.

I know my message is long but I feel it is important for me to warn my Hindu brothers and sisters.

SHAZARD KHAN

via e-mail