VZCZCXRO3796
OO RUEHGR
DE RUEHSP #0488/01 1151156
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251156Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6727
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT OF SPAIN 000488 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KCOR TD
SUBJECT:  T&T LEADER OF OPPOSITION FOUND GUILTY IN 
INTEGRITY TRIAL 
 
REF: A.  PORT OF SPAIN 00200 
 
¶B.  PORT OF SPAIN 00411 
¶C.  PORT OF SPAIN 00253 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  United National Congress Leader of 
the Opposition Basdeo Panday was found guilty on all 
three counts of knowingly making a false declaration of 
income and assets to the Integrity Commission.  Panday 
has been incarcerated in the maximum security prison. 
Constitutionally, he will be required to step down from 
his seat in Parliament, which also opens the position 
of Leader of the Opposition.  At this point, we are 
unsure if this sentence will sow further seeds of 
destruction in the UNC or if the party will dust itself 
off and unite behind a new leader.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls rendered the 
verdict in the integrity trial of United National 
Congress (UNC) Leader of the Opposition Basdeo Panday 
on April 24.  McNicolls found Panday guilty on all 
three counts of knowingly making a false declaration of 
income and assets to the Integrity Commission in 1997, 
1998 and 1999.  Panday ran afoul of the Integrity in 
Public Life Act by failing to disclose the existence of 
a London bank account (Reftels A and B).  He is the 
first person holding high office to be charged under 
this act.  He was sentenced to two years' hard labor; 
fined TTD 60,000 (USD 10,000); and required to repay 
the amount of the undeclared assets, some TTD 1.6 
million (USD 266,000).  The Chief Magistrate denied 
bail and Panday, with his head bowed, was immediately 
taken to processing for jail. Panday's attorneys will 
appear before the High Court to apply for bail.  Panday 
is currently housed in the maximum security prison in 
Arouca. 
 
¶3.  (U) The court was crowded with subdued supporters 
and curious onlookers along with a contingent of armed 
police officers, both inside and outside the courtroom. 
People gathered from as early as 8:00 am to hear the 
judgment, which was finally read at 10:00.  A muffled 
cry was heard as the "guilty" verdict was pronounced. 
Some attorneys were surprised that Panday was sentenced 
to jail.  Observers expected a "guilty" verdict, but 
did not expect that the Chief Magistrate would impose 
hard time on the 73-year-old former Prime Minister. 
Panday's daughter, Mikela, and brother, Subhas (a UNC 
MP), were present in court with members of the UNC 
executive.  Mikela shed tears while Rupert Griffith, 
Speaker of the House under the UNC Government, sobbed 
openly. 
 
¶4.  (U) The Constitution stipulates that anyone who is 
sentenced to jail for a period of more than 12 months 
is ineligible to hold a seat in Parliament.  The guilty 
verdict and 2-year sentence requires Panday to resign 
from his seat in the Lower House of Representatives in 
Parliament, and, consequently, his position as Leader 
of the Opposition.  Constitutionally, a by-election 
must be called in Panday's constituency since the 
Parliament has more than one year left in its normal 
term (the next general elections are due to be held no 
later than October 2007).  The controversial Ramesh 
Lawrence Maharaj, who served as Attorney General under 
the former UNC government, and who was publicly brought 
back by Panday to the UNC fold at the February 19 UNC 
unity rally (ref C) maybe the most likely UNC candidate 
in the anticipated by-election.  Such a comeback would 
necessitate quick action by the UNC executive to 
approve Maharaj's formal application to rejoin the 
party. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The big question at this point 
whether the UNC will rally behind another leader or 
further disintegrate in the absence of the charismatic 
Panday.  It is a question of which way the UNC 
executive, Panday's "inner circle," will swing.  If the 
UNC executive closes ranks and appoints Political 
Leader Winston Dookeran Leader of the Opposition, the 
UNC can begin to put the Panday corruption trial behind 
them and focus on the next general elections with a 
relatively clean slate given Dookeran's reputation as 
being a clean politician.  In this scenario, alienated 
members and UNC backbenchers, such as Fuad Khan and 
Gillain Lucky, would likely rejoin the party.  In 
short, an internal healing process could begin, 
ultimately strengthening the party for the next 
elections. 
 
 
PORT OF SP 00000488  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED:  On the other hand, if the 
party executive stays faithful to Panday and his recent 
policies by continuing to marginalize Dookeran and 
Chief Whip Ganga Singh, the UNC is likely to further 
disintegrate without the force of Panday's personality 
to hold it together.  In this scenario, the UNC will 
collapse under its own weight, making it easy for the 
PNM to win the next general elections.  Another big 
question is the reentry of former Attorney General 
Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.  It is unclear if he is 
allowed to rejoin the party whether he will act as more 
a unifier or a divider.  At this point he appears to be 
the only viable challenger to Dookeran for the Leader 
of the Opposition spot.  END COMMENT. 
 
 
AUSTIN