Lionel Seukeran

Seukeran was born Parasnath Lakshmi Prashad Sharma in Tableland, Trinidad and Tobago on January 12, 1908. His family was Brahmin, and his father was a Pandit named Seukeran Sharma. As a child, Seukeran attended Christian schools and learned Sanskrit and Hindi from his father. He took the name Lionel Frank Seukeran, == Political and Business Career ==

Suekeran was a business owner in San Fernando. His political career began in 1946, when he became a member of the San Fernando Borough Council. In 1950, he ran as an independent for a seat in the Legislative Council but lost to Ashford Sinanan. In 1957, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) formed in opposition to the dominant People's National Movement (PNM) party. After the DLP won multiple seats in the 1958 elections, PNM leader Eric Williams made a speech criticizing a range of groups, including the DLP and Indo-Trinidadians whom he called a “hostile and recalcitrant minority”. Seukeran called a motion to censure Williams for his anti-Indian statements. After Williams made a statement affirming his opposition to racism, some other members of parliament convinced Seukeran to drop the motion to avoid aggravating racial tensions in the country. In 1960, Seukeran criticized an aid package that Williams got from the United States in exchange for allowing American military bases to remain in Chaguaramas, calling it a "miserable pittance". He stated that other countries were able to negotiate better deals with the United States and called the agreement "a gross betrayal". In his autobiography, he described DLP leader Rudranath Capildeo as "mad" and "volatile by nature, incapable of compromise". Seukeran wrote that Capildeo wanted proportional representation for Indo-Trinidadians and that the other delegates had to pressure Capildeo to take more moderate positions. In 1963, Stephen Maharaj was chosen to represent the DLP as the Leader of the Opposition and the party adopted Democratic Socialism. Seukeran opposed the new policies and did not follow Maharaj's leadership. == Personal life and legacy ==

Seukeran's wife, Ruth, also served on the San Fernando Borough Council. Seukeran was known for his debate and speaking skills, During his first term in parliament, he once accused a fellow member of being: "guilty of tedious repetition and monumental irrelevance." He was also nicknamed "Seukie". Seukeran's autobiography, Mr. Speaker Sir, was published in 2006. == External links ==