(Trinidad Express) While there will be leading political figures in attendance at the state funeral for the late former prime minister Basdeo Panday today, none of them will be speaking at the service.
Panday’s daughter Mickela will deliver the eulogy at her father’s funeral service, which takes place at 9 a.m. at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) in San Fernando. Mickela was MP for Oropouche West in the period 2007-2010.
The Express understands that John Humphrey, Panday’s long-time colleague, friend and former veteran politician, will give a tribute, as well as Panday’s brother, Subhas Panday, a former parliamentarian. Panday’s grand-daughter, Eva Cameron, and his son-in-law, Daniel Tarlow, will also deliver tributes.
A tribute will also be given by President Christine Kangaloo, who at one time was a member of the House of Representatives while Panday was Opposition Leader.
Among those who will attend the state funeral are President Kangaloo, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Chief Justice Ivor Archie, as well as several government ministers. Led by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, all UNC elected MPs and senators will be in attendance at the funeral service. They will also journey to the cremation site at the Shore of Peace at Mosquito Creek where Panday’s body will be cremated.
After the arrival of Panday’s body at SAPA, Dev Bansraj Ramkissoon will sing a bhajan (Hindu religions song), preceding the commencement of Hindu rites.
There will be an inter-religious dimension to the service and all the religious heads will be involved, symbolising the unity for which Panday had so often called. Prayers will be said by representatives of the Iman Hamza Rafeek, representing the Islamic Faith; Rev Joy Abdul-Mohan representing the Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago; Chief Richard Bharath Hernandez, Chief of the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community; Rev Karl Patterson of National Evangelical Spiritual Baptist Faith; Pundit Doodnath Chadee of Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Trinidad Inc; Baba Neal Ryan Rawlins, secretary of the Council of Orisha Elders of Trinidad and Tobago; The Most Rev Charles Jason Gordon, Archbishop of Port of Spain and Right Rev Bishop Claude Berkley, Bishop of Trinidad and Tobago.
Kees to sing
There will be a performance by soca artiste Kees Dieffenthaller.
Panday’s body will be then draped with the national flag and the National Anthem will be played. The proceedings will end with the procession to the Shore of Peace. Following the funeral service, members of the public are invited to join the funeral procession to the Shore of Peace Cremation Site.
Panday, who was born on May 25, 1933, died on January 1. He was a parliamentarian for 34 years, serving both as Opposition Leader and Prime Minister during his long tenure as MP for Couva North. His parliamentary career came to an end when he was not included in the UNC team to contest the 2010 general election. However, his departure from Parliament did not diminish his popular appeal as he maintained a regular appearance at public events such as the opening of Parliament, the inauguration of the President and the crime symposium.
