Remembering Cheddi Jagan

 

He Planted a Tree of Memories.......
by Moses Nagamootoo

 

(The following was taken from a Viewpoint and a feature Article to celebrate the birth and life of the late Guyanese President)

He had taken us on a late evening stroll at the seawall between the Bandstand and the Kingston jetty. A pair of lovers huddled closer, turning their faces away as the female warned in mild alarm, "look, is Dr. Jagan!" At the mention of his name, he said without looking at the couple, "Hi, there!"

It was a lovers' night at the seawalls. Or so it seemed as we had to steer our way through lovemaking couples. In a jovial mood Dr. Jagan looked over his shoulder and said, "Pandit: close you eyes, Pandit!"

Pandit Tiwari, whom we also called "Churkiman", had put together a team of volunteers from Corentyne to help lay the foundation for Dr. Jagan's house in Bel Air. Whenever he could, Dr. Jagan would invite us out for a ride, and would invariably take us to Brown Betty for ice cream.

On this occasion, while we were discovering the nocturnal mysteries of the Kingston seawall, Dr. Jagan's interest was focussed elsewhere, at a few vagrants under a tree. He pointed to the trees that were planted along the seawall road, and expressed disappointment.

"They should have planted fruit trees, instead, " he complained. 'If they had planted mangoes, dunks or ginnips someone hungry enough would find something to eat, and not forced to beg for food, or steal."

That was in 1965, and from then on Cheddi Jagan planted in me a tree of memories that would grow with the passing of every anniversary of his death.

It was that idealism of overcoming hunger and providing for the less fortunate among us that I believe has formed the kernel of Cheddi Jagan's life, his national and world outlook which, much later, blossomed into his quest for a New Global Human Order.

Cheddi Jagan placed great faith in man's ability to feed himself, and to be self-sustained. Years later when we would return to his place, he would show pride in walking us around his garden from which he reaped vegetables and fruits. His favourite fruit was the dunks, which he would collect in paper bags and take to Freedom House for distribution to office employees. At his desk he would unobtrusively plop a dunk into his mouth, and silently chew away as he worked on his papers and articles.

Sometimes he would take in a plastic bag tiny chunks of sugar canes from his garden, and offer them to comrades, often recommending them as cures for bad gums and as a recipe for bright, healthy teeth. His harvests included hard coconut jellies, ripe mangoes, bananas and golden apples.

Cheddi Jagan understood the root-cause of poverty, and explained the ravages of world capitalism in poor countries. But it was not his entire outlook. He also believed in the genius of man and the bounty of the soil. He felt that we have the capacity to feed ourselves by hard-work, labour efficiency and an astute approach to resource utilization.

Cheddi's desks on which he worked at Freedom House, and at home, always had a pair of scissors. He used the scissors to cut off extra paper from letters and documents, which he re-used as writing paper for draft articles, statements and, yes, many reminders to comrades about unfinished assignments.

I have many notes from him which were scribbled on scraps of paper and used envelopes. Nothing went to waste. He never threw away a used envelope, he had them recycled. His driver would be placed at a desk to paste strips of clean paper over his name and address on the larger envelopes.

Dr. Jagan wrote on anything, including the face of used envelopes, the back of invitation cards and the reverse side of discarded news bulletins he would get from all parts of the world. He always fretted against the use of one side of a sheet to stencil documents. What a waste, he would say with obvious disgust!

Paper was a scarce resource. He always thought about a paper-recycling plant in Guyana. Once, after we had visited places such as Cow's Island and Skull Point in the Mazuruni River, he took me to see a pilot pine forest in Bartica which an earlier PPP government had started He thought that as a young journalist I should know that Guyana has the capacity of making newsprint, and so save foreign exchange. He showed me a particular tree with a plaque bearing his name, I believe, as the country's Premier.

His attitude to the careful utilization of resources applied to the things we threw away. Once while I was with him in his car negotiating the Conversation Tree turn towards Georgetown, he looked north over his shoulder

"Turn back, Ramesh. Turn back," he said to the driver with some urgency. I was taken by surprise, and felt that Dr. Jagan had forgotten something at home. Ramesh tumed back at Sheriff Street. And as we came opposite Conversation Tree, the father of the nation's freedom said, "stop here."

He opened the door, got out, and walked towards a discarded, burnt mattress. He placed one foot on top of the springs, and made up his mind that what he had seen was good for his purpose.

"Come back with the pick-up van for that", he told Ramesh. He explained how the springs could be used in vehicles to cushion amplifiers and batteries when the PPP was holding meetings in areas with bad dams and roads.

With him around, nothing went to waste. Or nothing should be wasted. Years later while I served him as a Minister, I recounted the story of the springs to Dr. Rovin Deodat the Public Relations Advisor to the President, when we were in the office of President Cheddi Jagan. All the lights, except one, were turned off. The President wanted to save on electricity even in his office!

While we were there before him the phone rang.

"Hello! Cheddi here," he answered. And while he listened to the caller on the line, he reclined in his chair, and closed his eyes.

I whispered jokingly to Rovin that that was the vintage Cheddi Jagan at whom we were looking, and that he must always remember how our President had conserved not only on electricity in his office. but on his own eye batteries as well!

Since his death. my emotions would be drenched in tears every time I remember him This is not because of any lofty idealism or glorified ideology that might be associated with Cheddi Jagan. It is his attitude towards human and other resources, and concern for things on which human survival depends that has left a void where Cheddi Jagan once stood

 

 

Our Great Chief Will Forever Be Honoured At Timehri's Sacred Ground

 

Following is the full text of a speech by Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Vibert DeSouza, in the National Assembly of Guyana on Monday, May 12, 1997, on the designation of the Airport at Timehri, as the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

 

Mr. Speaker,
Honourable Members,

I rise to give my full support to the renaming of the airport at Timehri, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Such a move will be the most fitting tribute that the Guyanese people can give to the memory of this Great Son of the soil. The late President of this country, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, spent almost his entire life struggling for the freedom and unity of all Guyanese, regardless of their ethnic differences - whether East Indians, Afro-Guyanese, Amerindians, Portugese, Chinese or European-mixed. His total dedication and commitment to this cause remains unparalleled to those who lived and died before him.

Mr. Speaker, as Minister of Amerindian Affairs, I can testify to the complete dedication and commitment of the late Dr. Jagan to all our people, especially to the Amerindians of Guyana. It was under his presidency that Amerindians were honoured with the creation of a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. I became, in the name of Amerindians, the first-ever Minister of Amerindian Affairs in the history of Guyana.

Timehri, an Amerindian name for 'paintings and drawings on the rock,' did not bring about any significant changes in the lives of Amerindians. If it did, we the people would have been given equal status and recognition as any Guyanese. Since 1969, when the airport was changed from Atkinson to Timehri International, the lives of the Amerindian people of this country remained unchanged. It was simply lip service, a gimmick. Consultations with Amerindians were minimal, if any. Over the years, international and especially national air services deteriorated. So too were the entire building and other facilities at the airport.

Mr. Speaker, air services to the interior before the PPP/Civic Government came into office in 1992 had dwindled to only three locations. The Amerindian people, most of whom live in the distant, remote areas of Guyana, were simply cut off from the rest of the Guyanese people living on the coast. Is this respect and concern for the Amerindian people? As far as I am concerned, this is gross disrespect for and neglect of our people, forgotten as they were by the former PNC regime.

Mr. Speaker, this PPP/Civic Government has introduced since October 5, 1992, flights to more than 18 locations of the interior and all originating from Timehri. For example, to Lethem, the border town with Brazil, daily flights link the coastland with Guyana's most distant hinterland region. Very soon, more areas will be receiving this vital air service.

It was Dr. Cheddi Jagan who made these extended facilities for Amerindians possible. Additionally, an Amerindian not even from the ruling party, Mr. Anthony Abrams, has, for the fifth year now, been elected by this Government to sit on the Board of Directors of the Guyana Airways Corporation. It was under Dr. Jagan's leadership that GAC first employed an Amerindian girl as an air hostess.

Mr. Speaker, the late President of this beautiful country on the rise was the only Head of State to have visited several Amerindian villages in the Northwest, Pakaraimas, Mazaruni, Berbice, and Rupununi regions. Of course, he had to travel by air to the more centrally located airstrips in the interior and then continue his journey by river and land, which was very arduous. Nevertheless, he visited willingly and faithfully.

Dr. Cheddi Jagan was a caring President who spared no sacrifices to sit with Amerindians in the remotest of villages to share his dreams and visions with them, to play with their babies, to eat their food, and to rest in their hammocks. Today he lives in the hearts of Amerindians whose lives have been touched by his selflessness and concern for Amerindian welfare, and for whom he has now become a great spirit of inspiration.

Mr. Speaker, we have seen in the past four years how our airport at Timehri has been transformed into a respectable gateway to international and national destinations. All Guyanese are proud of this transformation taking place at our international airport. Efficient systems have been introduced there - so much so that one can even request an airliner ten minutes in flight after take-off to return and be given VIP treatment on board, something no one ever dreamed could take place in our country.

Mr. Speaker, a massive new wing has been added to the airport under Dr. Jagan's leadership and a fast-lane highway, the Timehri-Georgetown Highway, will soon be completed. Soon we may even have a 48-seater air-plane traversing such places as Lethem, Mahdia or international connections, all from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Timehri will forever remain Timehri and what it stands for.

Mr. Speaker, the late Dr. Jagan in life stood up like a champion for the just cause of all Guyanese, and so in death he continues to be a witness for this great cause. My Amerindian brothers and sisters have enjoyed attention, respect, and recognition they never before enjoyed.

In 1992 as at other elections Dr. Jagan promised accelerated development for Amerindian communities. Mr. Speaker, look around this Parliament, Sir. On this side of the House alone, there are six Members of Parliament representing Amerindians. For this, we thank the great Cheddi Jagan. Today we have, besides a Minister, a Parliamentary Secretary for Amerindian Affairs. She is the only Parliamentary Secretary of this Government and the first Amerindian woman in Guyana ever to become a Parliamentary Secretary, thanks, again, to our Hero, Dr. Cheddi Jagan.

Under Dr. Jagan's guidance, an Amerindian Advisory Committee was formed and is representative of the views of Amerindians. Under our administration, free, fair and transparent elections have been restored for electing Amerindian captains and councillors at the insistence of Dr. Jagan. The role of Amerindian captains has been recognized and stipends for them have been increased.

The authority of our Amerindian captains has also been restored and they have now been appointed by the Guyana Police Force as Rural Constables. Who, Mr. Speaker, should we be grateful to, if not to Dr. Jagan and the PPP/Civic Government, for restoring the dignity of my people and their leaders? In return, Sir, we willingly endorse renaming the airport the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in gratitude to our late Chief.

We must remember, Sir, that this dignity was restored when the late President Jagan designated the 10th of September Amerindian Heritage Day and the whole of September Amerindian Heritage Month. We may recall our nationwide celebrations at the reconstructed Umana Yana, the renovated Amerindian Hostel, and elsewhere, in celebration of Amerindian culture, artistry and craft.

Only those who are petty and ungrateful would refuse to recognize the great advances in Amerindian life under Dr. Jagan. Sir, may I remind this Parliament that it was under Dr. Jagan, who approved the establishment of a special Fund for Amerindian Development, that every community has benefitted in one form or the other - from schools and health centers and wells to tractors and trailers, outboard engines, chain saws, mobile rice mills, radio communication sets and farmers' tools, et cetera. With the coming on stream of the road from Lethem to Georgetown and the Moco Moco Hydropower Project, Lethem could easily become a new development zone.

Mr. Speaker, the condition of Amerindians from Orealla to Point Playa, to Rupununi can never totally be enhanced without the proper and final demarcation of Amerindian land titles. It was Dr. Jagan who advanced this process after the historic Paramakatoi Conference in February of 1996. Today a special Task Force for this purpose has been commissioned.

Mr. Speaker, in his lifetime Dr. Jagan did all he could for my people. I look around with pride and I see Amerindians coming into their own as policemen, as forest rangers, as medical technicians, as educationists, as politicians and as leaders.

For us now, only the sky is the limit. And we shall look up there to find our Guiding Star, Cheddi Jagan. Therefore, Sir, it is only the beginning of out tribute to Dr. Jagan.

The Timehri issue reminds me of the episode in the Bible, an issue which the wise Solomon in his wisdom was able to solve. Mr. Speaker, let me quote the passage. I quote in 1st King chapter 3, verses 23 to 28:

"The king Solomon said, 'each of you claims that the living child is hers, and that the dead child belongs to the other one.' He sent for a sword and when it was brought, he said 'cut the living child in two and give each woman half of it.' The real mother, her heart full of love for her son, said to the king, 'please, your majesty, don't kill the child; give it to her.' But the other woman said 'don't give it to either of us. Go on and cut it in two.' Then Solomon said, 'don't kill the child, give it to the first woman. She is its real mother.' When the people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision, they were all filled with deep respect for him because they knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly."

Mr. Speaker, what I'd like to draw from this story is that wisdom and judgement are applied fairly and that such judgement will be so manifested today.

Mr. Speaker, Timehri may be described as a sacred ground. Our Hero, out Warrior, our Champion, our Great Chief - his name Cheddi Jagan - will be forever honoured on this sacred ground. The name Cheddi Jagan is here to stay. Long live the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

 

 

Jagan's greatest creation was the political machine
by Ramdath Jagessar

 

Most of those paying tribute to the late Cheddi Jagan will focus on his huge achievement as a statesman, an anti-colonialist leader, and political survivor.

 

And they will be right. Cheddi was a legendary revolutionary leader and charismatic figure who endured 28 years in the wilderness before making a triumphant comeback in 1992.

 

Not too many will know that Cheddi's greatest creation was not himself, but the political machine that dominated Guyana's politics from 1950 to the present day. The People's Progressive Party (PPP) was, and is, a marvel to behold.

 

During two visits to Guyana in the early 1970s I had the chance to take a good look at the PPP, which has had only Cheddi as its leader these past 47 years. He stood at the top of the pinnacle, but below was a mighty and most impressive structure.

 

For a start, the PPP had a structure. There was a youth wing called the Progressive Youth Organization, with branches everywhere. Full time youth organizers with motorbikes or bicycles fanned out to keep the youth movement going.

 

The party had a women's league, organized in the same way as the youth, and working on the principle of equality for women. Regular PPP party branches lived in almost every village in Guyana, and even in the jungles where the Amerindians lived.

 

There was a group of parliamentarians and municipal politicians, and at the top the party executive, headed by Cheddi himself. To operate in this party you had to work your way up and prove yourself at the lower ranks. There was no way you could jump into this party as a novice, and get to the top ranks.

 

The PPP owned a department store, which stocked items imported from socialist countries, and a chain of bookstores. There was also a daily newspaper, which like the other businesses, employed party people.

 

The PPP owned vehicles, buildings, and ran an intricate system of communication and training.

 

They had their groups to organize demonstrations, to mobilize the Amerindians, singers and entertainers, security people, and a massive web of international connections. The annual party convention I attended had delegates from countries all over the world and messages from many more.

 

What blew me away was their ideological college. It trained members in the party's policies, published a monthly magazine and interpreted international and local events for the party. The PPP ideology was a clearly defined Marxism-Leninism, with its policies on philosophy, organization, art, and everything else.

 

When I saw it the PPP had been out of power for nearly ten years, had suffered grievous persecution from Forbes Burnham and damaging defections. But it operated almost like a government and continued in that way for another 20 years.

 

Cheddi continued to be the most visible face of the party, making his wonderful speeches and travelling thre world. He could only do so because of the solid work done by the party.

 

When he was thrown out of power by the combined forces of the British, Americans, and Forbes Burnham, the PPP did not immediate begin to fall apart. It carried on operating and pressuring the Burnham government that had all the resources.

 

It survived the race war that tore the country apart. And for 28 years the PPP continued to replace lost leaders, recruit new members, and deliver votes in one rigged election after another.

 

Burnham hated and envied the PPP. Not even his most vicious pressure and intimidation could break the party. He tried to build his PNC into a competitor, but not even the public treasury could make his party into a real rival of the PPP.

 

Look at what has happened to the PNC in the five short years since they lost power. It is a pathetic shell with little reason for existence, carrying on mostly as an election party. It will be a miracle if the PNC survives another five years in the wilderness.

 

Those of us who come from Trinidad cannot begin to understand what kind of structure Cheddi and those early leaders laid down for the PPP. The parties we know are hastily assembled by ambitious people with the main aim of winning seats in elections and little else.

 

In Trinidad, the People's National Movement has no more of an ideology than delivering power to its supporters, and it barely sustains a structure and administration. The old Democratic Labour Party and its successor United National Congress are also basically election parties that fall flat between polls.

 

Organization at the grassroots level is primitive or absent. There is no system of political training, or any serious way of grooming party people through the ranks. Youth league, women's leagues and the like may exist, but they are paper-thin contraptions.

 

Rank greenhorns jump into the party, are nominated to contest elections and sometime make it to high office. If the party does not win political power, the structure melts like butter in the sun.

 

That's the kind of political party we know in Trinidad, and in most other Caribbean countries. And those are the "good" ones. Others flare briefly only at elections and then are seen no more, while yet more struggle vainly in the background and then fade away.

 

Cheddi's PPP stands like a colossus in comparison to those puny creatures. It has survived nearly half a century of glorious high points and crippling low ones, and will continue despite the death of its founder. To me, that is Cheddi's real legacy for Guyana beyond what he achieved as an individual.

 

 

© 1999 Cheddi Jagan Research Centre.  All rights reserved.