Judgment day for Basdeo Panday!

In this previous article (dated 2 February 2006), I cautioned fellow Caribbean natives against expressing too much moral indignation over the political and financial scandals plaguing America (personified by people like former Congressman Tom DeLay and former Enron Chairman Ken Lay). And I justified my caution by pointing out that:

…no fewer than eight of its former government ministers are facing criminal corruption charges for allegedly expropriating funds from revenues generated by Trinidad and Tobago’s lucrative oil and gas industry. And, chief amongst those in the dock is former Prime Minister (1995-2001) and current Opposition leader, Basdeo Panday.

But, since Panday was charged in September 2002 and still seemed hell-bent on filing “dilatory motions”, I argued that he was making as much a circus of Trinidad and Tobago’s legal process as Saddam Hussein was making of Iraq’s. And, because of his tactics, I predicted that:

…it might take a decade before a jury is even empaneled in Panday’s case.

But I was wrong!

Because, on Monday, Panday was found guilty by a Trinidad court for hiding his ill-gotten gains in a London bank account. And, how ironic is that! After all, most Europeans rely on our off-shore banks to “protect their assets”. Indeed, perhaps Panday deserved to be convicted for still being so tethered to England’s colonial cord of obligation that he felt obliged to stash his cash in London, instead of Switzerland - like any self-respecting crook in his position would have done.

Alas, for his greed and stupidity, Panday must now serve three-years hard labor and pay over TT$1.5 million in fines. And, in the Caribbean, “hard labor” entails every dreadful penal connotation your mind can conjure up….

Here’s to the exemplary jurisprudence demonstrated this week by Trinidad and Tobago’s legal system!

Trinidad and Tobago, Prime Minister Basdeo Panday