Tributes to Cheddi Jagan
At a historic sitting of Parliament on Dec 13, 2007, a motion to pay tribute to Dr. Jagan struggle for a free and democratic Guyana, was passed. The motion gained the unanimous agreement of both sides of the National Assembly after glowing tributes were made and the vote, taken.
The motion facilitated “The Posthumous Award of the Order of Liberation of Guyana, a fitting tribute to a tireless fighter and great son of the soil, Dr. Cheddi Jagan.
Even in his death and memory, the unanimity in Parliament on Dec 13, 2007 offered an atmosphere of sincerity, genuine acceptance and broad unity. Indeed Dr. Jagan is the Father of our Nation.
Six days later, December 18, 2007, exactly 60 years after the 29 years old Dr. Jagan’s entry to the Legislature, a very significant, reflected and meaningful event was organized at the State House.
His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, President of the Republic of Guyana, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Chancellor of the Orders of Guyana, invited a wide cross section of personalities. It included members of the Diplomatic Corps, Ministers of Government, Religious leaders, Party members, the Press and others.
It was a very serene ceremony on the occasion of the Posthumous Award of the Order of Liberation of Guyana to Dr. Cheddi Jagan and The 60th Anniversary of His entry into the Parliament of Guyana.
The Chief of Protocol, Mr. Vic Persaud read the citation of this most esteemed Award, after which His Excellency, President Bharrat Jagdeo presented it to Mrs. Janet Jagan on behalf of the late husband and President of Guyana, amidst loud applause.
Mrs. Jagan briefly reflected on Dr. Jagan and the most fitting tribute to the life and struggles of Dr. Jagan. Dr. Jagan stands out as an example to members of Parliament and an incorruptible politician – worthy of emulation.
President Bharrat Jagdeo also traced Dr. Jagan’s contribution as a freedom fighter, visionary and revolutionary. He referred to Dr. Jagan’s deep interest and commitment to Guyana and the world. Dr. Jagan’s earlier calls and that of the New Global Human Order have vindicated himself over those who look at the world with a narrow view. This is the Dr. Jagan the world knows and he would be always relevant, President Jagdeo remarked.
It was a truly historic and significant event – most fitting to celebrate and honour Dr. Jagan.
The Order of Liberation is the foremost highest national award that can be presented upon any individual, who by a lifetime of honourable achievements bestowed one’s life on the improvement of his fellow humankind.
Such was the total philosophy of Dr Cheddi Jagan who on Tuesday, December 18, 2007, in a solemn and formal ceremony at State House, was awarded posthumously with the Order of Liberation.
Undoubtedly, the occasion of the 10th anniversary associated with the renowned Guyanese freedom fighter was considered as most appropriate by the administration, to bestow the honour on Dr Jagan. Additionally, the 60th year since entering the Parliament in 1947 was also an important factor.
Guyanese learnt of the Liberation Order award when the announcement was made at the Cheddi Jagan memorial, Babu John, Corentyne, Berbice on Sunday, March 11, 2007.
The Order of Liberation is the most prestigious decoration for mentions or other service beyond the normal call of duty that any country can present. As a high token, it ranks above the Order of Excellence (OE) and the Arrow of Achievement.
During his lifetime, Dr Cheddi Jagan was honoured with numerous Gold and other much-valued awards.
His selfless, consistent and courageous struggle for the Independence of the Guyanese people is on record historically. The Order of Liberation confirms his great, pioneering contribution to a free, democratic Guyana.
Cheddi Jagan: Some Aspects of the Charismatic Independence Leader
by Eddi Rodney
Accolades and tributes at a given stage assume rhetorical significance whenever the occasion is to honour an outstanding historical figure. Dialectically however, these expressions transform themselves over time and at the behest of generations. One example is Martin Carter’s poetry and prose of the 1950’s, especially his “All are involved”. This verse has become rallying cry and slogan for millions of people all over the world. Any one can be absolutely certain that not in his wildest imagination did the ‘Young’ Martin Carter visualize what impact his poetry of the 1950’s would exert once these entered the public domain.
Political Identity and Jagan
The 10th Anniversary Year in honour of the first elected President of Guyana, Dr Cheddi Jagan, coincided with the 60th Anniversary of his entry into Parliament (then the Legislative Council or Assembly) in 1947. On Friday, December 14, 2007 the National Assembly, our Parliament debated Jagan. Praise was made from every parliamentary political party. Every member of the House (or Chamber) who could be accommodated by the Speaker was allowed the opportunity to contribute. A local newspaper in an editorial (Kaieteurnews.yahoo.com) December 20, captioned Sixty Years Later, makes an important point; “every Member of Parliament was sincere in his/her contribution. Many were not even Members of Parliament when Dr Jagan moved on to accede to the Office of President in 1992, but were for the greater part aware of his works.”
For the most part this is precisely accurate. However, caution should be exercised; particularly in terms of political identity and Cheddi Jagan. Being aware of his works involves much more than reading or hearing about Jagan. What is crucial is that what he actually wrote and said at different periods must be analyzed (Navin Chandarpal and Donald Ramotar, 2003/2004). It is necessary to examine how he sought to bring meaning to his development programs through corresponding with world renown figures, how he struggled to outline the difficulties the country was experiencing as a consequence of Burnham’s connivance with both the Governor(s) of the Colony and with emissaries of the American government. Jagan must have wrote several hundreds of letters over his lifetime in addition to drafting memos, statements and official instructions to party colleagues as well as Government officials, Public Servants, Ministers and others Heads of Government overseas,.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds communicates his own impressions as “a Civic and a Citizen” in last Thursday’s Guyana Chronicle http://www.guyanachronicle.com (20/12/07). Crafted in the immediate atmosphere of the 60th Year Anniversary, these statements could be compared to those conveyed earlier this year by Grenadian Senator Chester Humphrey (Weekend Mirror 10/11 March 2007)Order of Liberation
Cheddi Jagan set out to restructure the political society of British Guyana at a time when Dr Malan and the Afrikaners ruled in apartheid/fascist South Africa. Africans and Indians had absolutely no rights whilst the Coloureds were regarded as potential supporters of this barbaric system. At that time also there was the US Sponsored Marshall Plan and the election in Britain of a Labour Government under the neo-Fabian Premiership of Mr. Clem Attlee (See West On Trial, pp. 127-133-136).
These were the ‘opposites’, the political markers that Cheddi Jagan had to analyze and interpret when himself and wife, long time partner Janet Jagan and others launched the People’s Progressive Party or PPP. The award of the Order of Liberation therefore is a Great Testimonial, honouring a leader who is no longer with us, but whose life-long involvement in the struggle for Freedom remains as the signal event of our era. Cabinet’s announcement of the O/L award, which is the highest national honour, was made earlier this year. A packed calendar year and preoccupations with possible local government elections registration, impacted on the Administration’s normal programming for National Awards. Last Tuesday’s State House function was a keynote event attended by several Government ministers, leading People’s Progressive Party members and representatives and public servants. These included prominent members of the Disciplined Services, Parliamentarians and a section of the diplomatic community were also present.
President Bharrat Jagdeo lauded Dr Jagan. Alluding to his tremendous political acumen and charisma, the President observed that Dr Jagan’s memory and example was reflected in the several people whose lives he touched. A similar tribute and describtion was made by Dr Amar Wahab on March 6, 2007, whilst delivering the Cheddi Jagan Memorial Lecture at Warwick University, England.
Mrs. Janet Jagan OE, former First Lady and President and Dr Jagan’s widow, reminded those present of the sacrifices Cde Cheddi made, the selfless hours he spent amongst the people he loved in his lifelong struggle to bring about a free independent and democratic Guyana.Printed in Mirror Dec 24, 2007-12-24
Cheddi Jagan lecture attracts capacity participation
by Eddi Rodney
The eighth of the annual Cheddi Jagan lectures was held last week at the Kingston-based Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (CJRC). The event was sponsored by the CJRC in collaboration with the Cheddi Jagan Commemoration Committee and the main feature was a lecture by Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, who dealt with the topic, “Dr Jagan, His Life/Work in the 1947 Legislative Council.”
This programme and discourse was one of several public activities organized specifically to mark what has become known locally, as well as elsewhere in the Guyanese diaspora, as the Remembrance Month for Dr Cheddi Jagan, where selected areas of the Guyanese leader’s life and contribution are discussed, analyzed and observed.
Chairman of the programme, GO-INVEST Chief Executive Officer, Mr Geoff Da Silva, recalled that there was a considerable interest in this particular occasion (i.e the CJL). He expressed the view that “it was certainly the most important in the country.” Amongst those who have in previous years delivered the CJL are Dr Rudy Insanally (then United Nations Ambassador representing Guyana), Mr Ashton Chase, S.C, Ms Gail Teixeira MP (then Minister of Culture, Youth and sport), Mr Brindley Benn (then High Commissioner to Canada), Mr David Dabydeen of Warwick University Caribbean Studies Department, Dr Odeen Ishmael (then Guyana’s Representative of the United Nations and Head of Diplomatic Mission, Washington), and Komal Chand, President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU).Dr Jagan challenged the status quo
Minister Rohee, having carried out extensive research into the subject, did not participate in the Parliamentary debate honouring Dr Jagan during the course of last year. And as he expressed it, the lecture presented an opportunity to avoid that research being wasted.
A considerable segment of the lecture was based on Hansard recollections and Parliamentary institutional data, especially the focus on the Legislative Council (or as it was described the Legco) of the late 1940s. Dr Jagan, it was recalled, entered the Legco, the highest decision-making organ in the colony of British Guiana, aware that the law-making assembly represented the historically defined and determined class interests – the hierarchy of colonial power and the local elites, who were allied to colonial interests. Cheddi Jagan’s contribution as an Assemblyman was outstanding in that he was the only political leader who spoke on behalf of the working people. Other members of the Legco were drawn from the capitalist merchantile class, the Chamber of Commerce and the leading civil servant groups. Cheddi Jagan set out as he himself was quoted as saying, “to inform himself” of issues pertaining to the colony and also to the business of administration, of how the country was governed.
His legacy, his most enduring historical contribution specific to the 1947-1952 Legco, was his absolute commitment, his zeal and focus on what had to be dealt with. His concern for the oppressed, the working poor and exploited was another trait that emerged from the quotations made by the lecturer.
One episode that was recounted involved a certain Mr Fernandes, who as a businessman, said that he was against the Legco debating and holding sessions late into the evening and at night. This was so because he worked during the day and felt that he should he also be engaged in the debate at night, he might fall asleep, something he did not wish to happen, as he was reputable with wide interests including racing horses.
To this Dr Jagan responded, saying he too worked during the day, but he had no problem with involving his efforts during the Legco sessions at night. These sessions were not overmuch for the representative of colonial-type government, Dr Jagan believed.
Minister Rohee also addressed the concerns, or the consequences arising out of Dr Jagan’s 1940s activities as an Assemblyman, and analyzed aspects of what detractors of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) are saying nowadays, compared to what these elements perceived the PPP to be in the past. Another aspect touched upon was the genuine concern Dr Jagan always had for the contributions and role of women in the society. Indeed, he invariably struggled to have provisions made for budgetary support for women who were from the oppressed and the working poor of the country.
Towards the end of the programme, the winners of the Cheddi Jagan essay competition were announced. These were as follows:First Prize – Mohamed Yassin
Second Prize – Nadia Ganesh
Third Prize – Raymond Yussuf
Honourable Mention – Anastasia Ally
The vote of thanks was done by Hydar Ally, Education Secretary and Executive/Central Committee member of the PPP. Amongst the audience were several senior members of the government, including ministers and Members of Parliament. The High Commissioner of India, Mr Subit Kumar Mangal as well as the Ambassador of China, Mr Zhang Jungao were also among those in attendance.March 2008
