Articles by Janet Jagan
A Remarkable Family
A Guyanese Success Story
Poverty And Its Elimination
Remembering H.N. CritchlowRemembering H.N. Critchlow
by Janet JaganThe first sentence in Aston Chase's memorable and absolutely valuable A History of Trade Unionism in Guyana: 1900 to 1961 reads:- "The first trade union formed in our country is the British Guiana Labour Union. It was established on 11th January, 1919, and the principal architect behind its formation was Mr Hubert Critchlow."
Chase goes on to say that the Union was registered in July, 1922. He observed that the first set of rules indicated that its founders had in mind the promotion of the class struggle by organised methods. "The language" he writes, "unequivocally points to a basic underlining of the struggle between oppressed and oppressors; between bourgeoisie and the proletariat."
On May Day in recent years, tributes are being paid to the Father of the Trade Unionism in Guyana, Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow. Flowers are placed at the foot of his statue in the grounds of Public Buildings. Critchlow deserves this homage. But it wasn't always that way.
Let me relate three incidents or occasions that I recall as if yesterday. Firstly, I became involved in the British Guiana Labour Union in the 40s and used to meet with Mr Critchlow at the Union's Headquarters which were somewhere in the Hinck Street area, the area destroyed by the PNC burnings in the 60s. We were trying to organise domestic workers, but it was a difficult task and one in which we did not succeed. Because of the nature of their work and the fact that domestic workers could be easily victimised by their employers, they were hard to organise.
In the course of this activity, I got to know this remarkable labour leader and admire his views and his aims of strengthening and building the labour movement.
I also remember an incident that took place some years later, in the 50s I believe, when Dr Jagan and I were involved in a May Day March. As we progressed through the city, going through Albertown, we saw Mr Critchlow standing at his gate, watching the parade. My husband broke ranks and walked over to the gate and spoke to Critchlow using his fond nickname of 'Skipper'. It seems that the TUC had not invited him to the May Day parade and he was left out. Cheddi put his arm around Critchlow's shoulder and said, "Come along. You belong in this march."
Cheddi and Critchlow, went to the front of the march and thus Critchlow, maybe for the last time, took part in the traditional May Day parade. The labour movement either shunned him, or forgot him!
The last incident relating to Mr Critchlow was this. While Premier Cheddi Jagan in the government he headed from 1961- 64 met the kind of troubles and violence we are experiencing today, (and for the third time since 1992) he sought to prepare a fitting tribute to H.N Critchlow. He asked the artist E.R. Burrows to sculpt a statue dedicated to Mr Critchlow. This he did and it was placed in the grounds of Parliament Buildings, where it is now. But the trade unions not only shunned this tribute, but refused to recognise it and piled vile abuse on Premier Jagan as well as the artist, Mr Burrowes.
I still have a letter written to me by Mr Burrowes who was bruised and hurt by the harsh attacks on him. He was such a kind gentleman. He did not deserve the way he was treated, all because he worked along with Cheddi Jagan. Does the scenario sound familiar?
This is what he wrote to me in 1964:- "I do not for one minute regard the many cruel insults that were hurled and are still being hurled at me with regards the statue, as being important once the people who matter appreciate the work."
© 2001 Janet Jagan
A Remarkable Family
by Janet JaganOut of Guyana's history, several remarkable families have emerged. One generally thinks of the Luckhoo family in this sense.
I am thinking of another family, which contributed three much excelled men to enrich our society. I am referring to the Ramkarran family of which "Boysie" Ramkarran led the way and produced two worthwhile and talented sons - Ralph and Baynie.
Ramkarran, who had only one name and was proud of it and resisted all efforts to have the standard 2 names (some tried to divide it into Ram Karran or Boysie Ramkarran, but it never worked) was a humble man from humble parentage. When I got to know him, he was a conductor on the Georgetown-Rosignol train and an ardent trade unionist, belonging to the then powerful Transport Workers' Union.
When Cheddi Jagan began campaigning for the 1947 elections as an independent candidate for the lower East Coast Demerara seat (Kitty to Buxton), he met and engaged two persons who were to be later involved in the formation of the PPP in 1950. Ramkarran and Sydney King (later to change his name to Eusi Kwayana and to leave the Party). Ramkarran remained a loyal member to his death, becoming many things - Treasurer of the PPP, Minister of Works (1957-61) and again a Minister in the PPP government of 1961-64. He was a Member of Parliament for many years, from the time of his first appointment as a Minister through the 80s. He also became General Secretary of GAWU.
In Parliament he was known and appreciated for his sharp wit and wry humour, which even the often-bitter opposition benches enjoyed and appeared to look forward to.
Ramkarran, who was so absolutely humble, never beat his own drums. He was excessively modest and seemed to want to be unnoticed, but it was hard not to notice him because of his utter honesty, integrity and loyalty.
How proud he would be today to see his eldest son sworn in as Speaker of the National Assembly and another son, Baynie, as the most excellent and highly respected Ambassador to Venezuela! Both of these sons have followed the high standards in life set by Ramkarran. He gave these sons a good education at great sacrifices, as he never had one himself, but as a good father, did his best.
These three men, have given to their country valuable service, and Ramkarran's sons continue to uphold his good name and make their own special contributions to their native land.
© 2001 Janet Jagan
Poverty And Its Elimination
by Janet JaganPoverty is, of course, and unfortunately, a global problem. Practically all countries of this world we live in, suffer from the scourge of poverty, even the so-called developed countries.
In Guyana, the PPP/Civic government, despite violent and destructive opposition forces, has significantly reduced poverty since it took office some eight years ago.
The PPP/Civic government met horrific poverty, manifested in a high rate of infant and maternal deaths, serious malnutrition in children, horrendous housing conditions and, an inevitable expectation, widespread hopelessness. All this has changed; not to say that poverty has been abolished, but poverty has been substantially reduced.
The housing programme, for example, which no longer existed during the PNC years, began with the election of Cheddi Jagan as President.
This programme has helped alleviate poverty by providing the means for thousands to have a decent roof over their heads. The tens of thousands who squatted and lived in these slums without water or sanitation or roads now live in regularized housing areas.
The housing programme plus improved medical services, massive extension of pure water supplies and safe and clean schools have also contributed to improved conditions of life for the poor. The death rates for infants and mothers, as well as malnutrition, have been drastically reduced.
These improvements, along with a specific poverty amelioration programme by the government, have all contributed to the lowering of the level of poverty in Guyana. And all of this, despite the efforts of a ruthless opposition, was determined to stop the elected government from governing.
In his various writings on his concept of a New Global Human Order, the late President of Guyana, Cheddi Jagan, called for a reversal of the gap between the developed nations and the developing ones, between the richest and the poorest. He expressed alarm at the incidence of poverty across the globe. "Poverty", he said, "atrophies the sign and initiative of the individual and deprives the society of incalculable human resources at a critical time. Its elimination will enrich our community and release a harvest of energy and skills. If left unattended, the expansion of poverty with hunger, will undermine the fabric and security of the democratic state."
His aim was for a new global order to develop international co-operation in the humanitarian field. And his dreams are coming true as the United Nations recently adapted a resolution for the Promotion of a New Global Human Order to deal with the challenges of development and poverty eradication and to arrest the growing disparities among and within countries.
While in Guyana, we are conscious of the problems of poverty and the need to reduce further the degree of poverty, we are not alone. Most nations face the same problems.
In Canada, for example, considered to be a prosperous and wealthy nation, the Mecca of many Guyanese desiring to live abroad, poverty is a grave problem. The Toronto Star, last month reported: "In more than 100 neighbourhoods in Toronto, the poverty rate is above 30% .... In some areas of Toronto the poverty rate climbs to more than 60%".
Those who are poor are getting poorer, the number of poor is growing and the depth of poverty is growing. These latter remarks are reported by the president of a group known as the `United Way.'
The article in the Toronto Star reports that Toronto's manufacturing sector dropped from 23.7% in 1987 and 1995, thus throwing large numbers out of work.
"Poverty has grown by 67% in Toronto since 1991," states the Toronto Star. "One in every four people and one in every three children live below the poverty line - more than twice the provincial average."
Other information in the lengthy newspaper report rates the severe housing shortages in Toronto and "the highest proportion of substandard housing".
From these quotations about a country most Guyanese consider to be a prosperous one, we can see that poverty hits a section of people everywhere.
That is why a global approach, as recommended by Cheddi Jagan is necessary to tackle this serious problem of poverty, which millions of people living miserable and unhappy lives.
In Guyana, we must strive to eliminate all obstacles to the reduction and final elimination of poverty.
© 2001 Janet Jagan
A Guyanese Success Story
by Janet Jagan
Agriculture forms the base of our economy. This is a truism and very important for our future. Unless we discover offshore oil when finally the issue is settled between Guyana and Suriname, we will, no doubt, settle mainly to develop the agricultural sector. With oil of course, we could go easier into manufacturing, as Trinidad has done with rich supplies of oil and gas. We can also look forward in the future to cheap energy when we harness, as we will, one of our waterfalls.Agriculture has been the mainstay of our economy with sugar and rice forming the vital sector of our economy. Diversification has been a principle of the PPP/Civic government and this has begun to produce results. We are now self sufficient in chickens and eggs and we should be entering the export market for both, soon. We have been successfully exporting pineapples, mainly from the Canals Polder. Recently we exported a large amount of sweet potatoes to the UK. We are shipping bora, pawpaw, limes, melons, plantains, cassava and pineapples to the Caribbean, presently to Trinidad and Barbados. This should soon expand to other Caribbean countries. Exports of fruits and vegetables have doubled this year alone.
Fish is being exported to North America and our markets there are expanding. Beef is a product that has great possibilities. We used to have a good export market for beef. I remember when I was in the Cabinet of the 1951-61 PPP government, we had a healthy beef export business then.
Unfortunately, the boost given to agriculture, livestock and fisheries when the PPP was in office in the 50s and 60s had a crooked landing when the PNC took over. At that time the copra and coffee industries were growing. I remember that we had a robust programme of encouraging farming. We gave out thousands of coconut plants; we gave crop bonuses to farmers who diversified; we had a heifer plan where a farmer was given a cow and the first calf produced was given back to the government to have a revolving scheme. Many cattle farmers began small in this manner and gradually built herds, although the basic idea was to have fresh and available milk for the children of the household.
We were later saddled with foot-and-mouth disease which prevented Guyana from exporting beef. Only recently did we leap over that hurdle and now we are free of that impediment. With mad cow disease present in Europe, this is a good time to get back into the beef export market.
I can remember, too, the tremendous success of the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) which purchased farmers' produce, paid promptly and sold them to low-income urban working people at a low price, eliminating the middle men. But the PNC ruined all that. Farmers would have to wait for long periods of payment for goods supplied and eventually gave up selling to the GMC, reverting to the middlemen with both farmers and consumers losing. But that was how the PNC operated. And soon, agriculture was in the decline.
It was revived after 1992 by the PPP/Civic which placed greater emphasis on agriculture, livestock and fisheries. More agriculture land has been distributed in the period after 1992. The Guyana Marketing Corporation has been revived to a New Guyana Marketing Corporation which is again purchasing farmers' produce and helping diversify, as well as assisting in the marketing of processed agri-goods. It encourages Guyanese to "buy local" and to appreciate our local products in the face of a barrage of imported foods that are mainly luxuries and increase the cost of living.
Of course, we have much to learn and have to strive for quality and consistent production if we want to maintain a thriving export market. New methods, new techniques have to be learnt - packaging, preservation, presentation, uniformity are all necessary for success.
During this Agriculture Month, Guyanese can be proud of our successes and achievements in the short span of time that progress began - from 1992 to the present. It is a Guyanese success story!
© 2001 Janet Jagan
