Naparima MP Rodney Charles is paying tribute to one of his predecessors, Boodram Jattan, who passed away at his home in New York on November 3rd 2023.

Mr Jattan served in the First Republican parliament from September 24th 1976 to September 18th 1981, representing Naparima as an Opposition MP under the banner of the ULF.

See the full tribute from MP Rodney Charles:

Boodram Jattan was born on 25th January 1933 and died in New York where he resided on November 03rd 2023. MP Boodram Jattan served in the First Republican parliament from September 24, 1976, to September 18, 1981, representing the constituency of Naparima as an Opposition MP under the banner of the ULF. As such he belonged to that illustrious and iconic group of MPs who represented the constituency. These included those, like Lionel Seukeran, Nazim Muradali, Narine Dookie, Alloy Lequay, Doveton Sullivan who served when the constituency was divided into Naparima North and Naparima South. MP Boodram Jattan was the first to be elected to what we may call the unified Naparima constituency. He was followed by MPs Emmanuel Hosein, Raymond Pallackdarrysingh, Subash Panday, Ralph Maraj and Nizam Baksh. As an MP he contributed to many debates including that dealing with the Rationalization of the Sugar Industry, and the motion calling for an Enquiry into the infamous Trinidad Tesoro Company. I attended the function at the NY Consulate on August 30th 2013 where he, along with the likes of the Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Mohan Jaikaran, and former Olympian Edwin Roberts were honored for service to TT and the diaspora in the US.

MP Boodram was not averse to controversy and as a cane farmer he had a keen interest in promoting the welfare of the working class. He as a member in the lower house represented the interests of cane farmers. His senatorial colleague at the time Dora Bridgemohan was an actual cane cutter and they both reminded all and sundry about the roots of the party and the need never to forget from whence the party came. His working-class background led him to align with the more progressive faction within the ULF called the ICFTU led by former army officer Raffique Shah and on whose executive sat members from the explicitly Marxist, United National Independence Party. The ULF, which won ten seats in the 1976 elections and control of most local councils had shortly after split into two factions – one led by Raffique Shah, the other by the more pragmatic Basdeo Panday. MP Jattan was a front seat witness to these political convulsions within his party and these led to his departure from active politics in 1981and his return to cane farming. When Caroni (1975) Limited was closed in 2003, his cane farming career came to an end and he migrated to the US where he served spiritually to the diaspora as a pundit.

He lived a full and satisfied life. He served his country well. He was an eminent and vocal MP for the constituents of Naparima. He continued his service to our diaspora. He was a founding member of ULF and the UNC. In short, he fought the good fight even to the very end. Om Sadgati to one of my illustrious predecessors.