MEMBERS of the House of Representatives paid tribute to former MP Winston Nanan at a sitting on April 19.

Nanan was a former United Labour Front MP. He represented the Tabaquite constituency in the House from 1976-1981.

Communications Minister Symon de Nobriga sent condolences to Nanan's family on the government's behalf.

He said Nanan died on April 11.

His seat was declared vacant on July 5, 1981. De Nobriga said this was the result of Nanan's missing seven consecutive sittings of the House without seeking approval for leave on those occasions. Under the Constitution, an MP's seat in the House is declared vacant if they miss six consecutive sittings without having been granted permission to do so.

De Nobriga said during his tenure, Nanan was recognised as someone who advocated for people in society who were "living on the margins." He referred to a motion Nanan had filed on behalf of street vendors as an example of this.

Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh said he felt humbled as an opposition MP to follow in Nanan's footsteps.

Indarsingh believed economic disparity, elitist behaviour and racial inequity perpetuated by a PNM government were what motivated Nanan to sacrifice his private life as a citizen and engage in public service.

He said the political environment Nanan operated in was similar to what exists today.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same."

Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George agreed with comments by de Nobriga and Indarsingh about Nanan's roles as a teacher and trade unionist before he entered electoral politics.

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