Ramesh Maharaj

Ramesh xLawrence Maharaj, a human rights lawyer, and former Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago, is the leader of National Team Unity, a political party in Trinidad and Tobago.

Maharaj made his name as a human rights lawyer in the 1980s; his most notorious clients were the Jamaat al Muslimeen.

Dr. Robert Maharaj formerly of the ONR is credited with much of the effort of amalgamating opposition parties to aid in the formation of the ANR for the 1986 general elections,a prominent medical doctor of San Fernando, who later emigrated to Ireland with his wife and two children. Dr. Robert Maharaj of Princes Town and later of St.Joseph Village, San Fernando is close relative of Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj. Dr. Robert Maharaj's grandfather and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj's father were brothers of the same Maharaj family

Maharaj joined the United National Congress in 1991. He won election to Parliament representing the Couva South Constituency. When the UNC won the elections in 1995, Maharaj became Attorney General after distancing himself from controversial clients.

In 1999, his daughter Kavita Mahraj had changed her name to Kavita Maharaj Spencer-Morgan after migrating to London.

In 2001 the slate of candidates endorsed by Maharaj ("Team Unity") won the party elections. However they failed to win the endorsement of the Party leader, Prime Minister Basdeo Panday. The estrangement escalated and Maharaj eventually left the party, together with Trevor Sudama and Ralph Maraj. This defection cost the UNC its parliamentary majority, lead to General Elections being called in 2001, and eventually led to the election victory of the People's National Movement in 2002.

Maharaj converted Team Unity into a national political party, National Team Unity, but the party failed to make an impact on the electoral landscape in either 2001 or 2002, and since then has functioned more as a political pressure group.

As of February 2007, the Daltons Law firm, headed by Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj's wife, Lynnette, and through Khemrajh Harrikissoon, sue Basdeo Panday for damages concerning statements which, as claimed by the firm, were defamatory.

References

* [http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Biography/bio_RameshLawrenceMaharaj_2.htm Ramesh Maharaj 25 years later] : From Jailbird to AG, the attorney general's illustrious career - Francis Joseph, "Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, April 16, 2000.