Tributes to Cheddi Jagan
Thanks, Port Mourant
by Ralph Ramkarran(Executive member of the People's Progressive Party, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran touched on the remarkable life of Dr. Cheddi Jagan at the cremation of the late President in his home village of Port Mourant March 1997.)
Dr. Cheddi Jagan's journey through life has now come to an end. As we return his body to the winds of his native village and weep his passing, we try to understand what combination of elements created such a life as his and what forces determined his unerring but uncharted course in service of his people.
Revolutionaries believed that no struggle is ever in vain. If this is so then the soil of Port Mourant would have absorbed the battle sounds and revolutionary spirit of resisting slave and indentured labourers.
And as young Cheddi roamed the fields of Port Mourant in childhood abandon, he must have subconsciously heard the cries of pain of his people rising up form the fields in which he worked and played.
Dr. Jagan himself remarked about the importance of his early life. Shortly after the election of the People's Progressive Party/Civic in October 1992, he addressed a series of rallies to thank the Guyanese people for the trust and confidence they reposed in him. I attended the rally in Kitty, in Demerara and listened to it with rapt attention and I recall his moving recollection of his father and his childhood years in Port Mourant.
It was clear and even though Cheddi Jagan had physically left Port Mourant in 1936 at the age of 18 and had already spent several years in school in Georgetown, the lessons of his childhood which helped to shape his dreams and ideals were among the most powerful and enduring.
Yet his childhood was as ordinary as any at that time. As he grew older and became more knowledgeable and experienced, as adult life taught him the realities of deprivation, discrimination and struggle, he began to understand the exploitation of labour and the anguish of class destruction which he experience as a child but the significance of which he did not then grasp.
As we reflect on his life and work, we try to seek out those lessons of his childhood that helped to create this mighty warrior with a warm heart and a gentle spirit.
His restless energy and powerful intellect drove him on and on, to seek answers to the problems of injustice, exploitation and poverty. No matter what others felt, he did not believe that such conditions of life were an inevitable consequence of our existence or that they were ordained by any superior force. He believed that they were man made and capable of being resolved here and now by the actions of men and women.
His sensitivity to social, economic and political injustice and his amazing capacity to summon up and focus his entire being for his entire life after he graduated from University, must have been qualities which he inherited from his parents.
From what he spoke about his parents we gather that he took his drive form his father, whom he clearly admired, and deep and profound hatred of colonialism from the realisation that this system of exploitation was responsible for keeping his mother and millions of mothers around the world in bondage and servitude. He alluded directly to all of these matters in his writings.
Early in his life, Cheddi Jagan determined that not only will he not subscribe to British rule in British Guyana but that he will actively confront the might of the British Empire in Guyana and wherever else it existed.
His journey from Port Mourant took him to Georgetown then to the United States where he saw and experienced racism in practice, where he learnt about the independence struggles in India, where the heroic resistance of the International Brigade to Spanish fascism was being played out, where the triumphant march of socialism stood its ground against the German Nazis in the Second World War.
These lesson triggered his childhood experienced and supplemented by his lifelong thirst for knowledge which he acquired by reading, he led the way in the establishment of Political Affairs Committee in 1946 along with his life partner Janet Jagan, Ashton Chase and H.J.M. Hubbard, before he was 30 years old.
He won a seat in the Legislative Assembly in 1947 and joined in the struggle of the Enmore sugar workers in 1948. When the Enmore Martyrs gave their lives for our freedom, his pledge was made, his life's course was set, there was no turning back.
He took the lessons of Port Mourant with him for the next 50 years and this humble village will forever mark the life of this patriot as the place from which he embarked on his extraordinary career. It is most fitting that he should return at the end of his eventful journey which took him on a national and international crusade against poverty and injustice to become once again a part of the atmosphere which gave him life.
The nation on Monday paid formal tribute to the life and work of our late President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, freely and fondly referred to as Cheddi by every Guyanese man, woman and child.
We heard of his great qualities and achievements and the devoted service he gave to the working people of Guyana. We heard that his service to Guyana left it a different place from when he started his journey. We heard how he fearlessly challenged Guyana's powerful opponents without a moment's hesitation, without regard to personal cost or sacrifice. Above all, we heard of his humility, befitting a son of this soil.
We heard the tributes which have been paid to him by distinguished Guyanese personalities and politicians. We heard the sentiments expressed by foreign governments.
Above all, we heard the footsteps of the largest numbers of Guyanese ever to come together in our history, putting aside all differences, united at last in sad but warm embrace of Cheddi Jagan and his message of peace and unity.
No greater tribute could have been paid to this simple, unassuming man than the time taken by so many to set their eyes on him in a final glimpse as he lay at rest or as he went on his way in his final journey to this place.
And so we send him on, forever grateful that he touched our lives and showed us that we do not have to accept a destiny for ourselves which is determined by others, that our own actions can make a difference to our lives.
Our entire nation is grateful to Port Mourant for sending us this son. We ask you to receive him back with our thanks.
Cheddi B. Jagan - A Look at one of
Guyana's Great Sonsby Ralph Ramkarran
For fifty years Cheddi Jagan, the late President of Guyana, who died on March 6, 1997, two weeks before his 79th birthday, exerted a profound influence on political developments in Guyana. He was elected to the Legislative Council in 1947, where he vigorously exposed the poverty and exploitation existing in British Guiana and the oppressive nature of colonialism.
His activity in the Legislative Council was directed both to the alleviation of suffering and to the establishment of political consciousness among the working people of British Guiana, which would lead to the formation of a mass-based political party to lead the struggle for independence and socialism. In 1946, the year before his historic victory. he had founded along with his wife Mrs. Janet Jagan, Mr. Ashton Chase and the late H.J.M. Hubbard, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), to prepare the way for the establishment of a political party.
His activity in the Legislative Council articulating for the first time the hopes and aspirations of the Guyanese working man and woman, together with the activities of the PAC, attracted a large enough following of workers. farmers, professionals and business people to establish the People's Progressive Party (PPP) in 1950 with the specific tasks of struggling for the attainment of independence for British Guiana and for the establishment of social justice for all its people.
This event proved to have a lasting impact on the political life of Guyana. It was the first mass-based political party established in British Guiana and had a preponderance of working-class leaders. For the first time independence and socialism were officially placed on the agenda, and British rule condemned as the main cause of poverty.
British Guiana and Cheddi Jagan first attracted international attention in 1953 when the British Government suspended the constitution after he was in office for 133 days, and imprisoned several PPP leaders including Cheddi and Janet Jagan. Elections under universal adult suffrage had been held for the first time and the PPP had won a landslide victory gaining 18 of the 24 seats. The campaign had been fought on the platform of independence and socialism The widespread appeal of the PPP and its message created deep fear and anxiety in the British ruling class, resulting in the overthrow of the lawfully elected Government. The willingness of Cheddi Jagan and his colleagues to confront British colonialism and accept the consequences, including imprisonment established him as a committed and determined leader and catapulted him into world prominence as an anti-colonial fighter.
From that vantage point surviving imprisonment and a split in the PPP in 1955 led by Forbes Burnham, Cheddi Jagan returned to power in 1957 and won elections again in 1961. Independence for British Guiana was now on the agenda having been promised by the British after the 1961 elections which introduced an advanced self-governing constitution.
But the 1960s were at the deep end of the cold war hysteria and the British and US Governments collaborated in engineering the removal of the PPP Government after three consecutive years of ethnic disturbances in 1962,1963 and 1964 resulting in hundreds dead and millions of dollars worth of property destroyed by arson and bombings. This period left a legacy of ethnic distrust between African and Indian Guyanese which is only now being constructively addressed.
Cheddi Jagan was removed from political office in 1964 at the relatively young age of 46 and his long season of opposition lasting for 28 years saw some of his most creative work.
He published "The West on Trial," " which is semi-autobiographical and the most authoritative history of the period between 1945 and 1968 He published several other works and wrote incessantly in local and foreign journals on politics ideology and economics. During this period he established himself as one of the leading spokespersons from the Third World on the causes and elimination of poverty.
He launched an international crusade against imperialism, and for peace, national liberation and social development. His election as a Vice President of the World Peace Council enabled him to make a direct contribution to world peace. He was a fervent supporter of the Non-Aligned Movement and of all national liberation movements.
His international work carried him to most parts of the world and established him as an authoritative spokesperson on issues affecting the Third World.
At the same time his creative political work in Guyana continued. His restless pursuit of unity resulted in several years of collaboration with opposition political parties generally and on specific issues. Major events were the struggle for the freedom of Arnold Rampersaud - a PPP activist on a fraudulent charge of murder between 1975 and 1977, who was acquitted after an unprecedented three trials; and the struggle against the Referendum Bill in 1978 which was designed to postpone the General Elections due in 1978 . These events and others established a high degree of collaboration between the opposition political parties and citizens' groups. This period also saw the development of open and fearless opposition by wide cross sections of the society to the rigging of elections and authoritarian rule These developments led eventually to the formation of the Patriotic Coalition for Democracy (PCD) in 1985 by the main opposition political parties after the rigging of elections in that year.
Cheddi Jagan always saw the need for political solution in Guyana which would eliminate the problem of ethnic insecurity and lead to a restoration of democracy. While fighting rigged elections and authoritarian rule, he never lost the opportunity to undertake discussions with the People’s National Congress (PNC) or its leader Prime Minister and later President Forbes Burnham, in which he saw no contradiction since he relied on the principle of unity and struggle. When "critical support" was declared for the PNC by the PPP in 1975, after the PNC had adopted increasingly progressive economic measures and positions on international issues, Dr.Jagan led the PPP in talks with Burnham at the latter’s invitation. However, these talks failed after Burnham demanded the retraction of a critical editorial in the Mirror.
In 1977 the PPP proposed the formation of a National Patriotic Front Government. On the Front would be represented all political parties which agreed to a common programme in the strength proportionate to the votes they received in free and fair elections. The Government would he formed by the same political parties in the same strength, save that the Party gaining the largest percentage of votes would hold the position of Prime Minister, and the second largest party would hold the post of President in a system with an Executive Presidency, with some constraints and safeguards. Dr Jagan always believed that the PPP would gain the largest proportion of votes in free and fair elections, as was demonstrated at the general elections in October 1992, and therefore felt that he was making a major concession to achieve a political solution and .eliminate or reduce ethnic insecurity. The PNC Rejected the proposals.
The national unity displayed in the late 1970s over the struggle against the Referendum Bill, and the national trauma resulting from the rigging of the Referendum in 1978 and the general elections in 1980, together with mounting political opposition and the rapidly deteriorating economic situation. led the PNC in 1985 to suggest talks with the PPP. Cheddi Jagan saw the opportunity once again for advancing his agenda for a political solution with ethnic security, even though he understood the enormous difficulties. However, Burnham died in August 1985 and the incoming President Hoyte discontinued the talks.
The elections of October 1992 saw the disintegration of the PCD alliance over issues relating to the choice of a Presidential Candidate and the list of candidates for Parliament. Dr. Jagan then captured the mood of national unity and formed an alliance with the Civic personalities, several of whom had been supporting the recently established GUARD Movement, of which the Chairman was the now President Hinds.
Cheddi Jagan’s tenure as President was characterized by hope, expectation and confidence in the future. Guyana’s economy showed consistent substantial growth, and social conditions improved dramatically, particularly in infrastructure development, employment creation, housing, education, expansion of pure water supply and local democracy. Cheddi Jagan was a tireless organizer and innovator of these developments.
His proposal for a New Global Human Order, which is attracting wide support, confirmed his standing as a statesman of profound intellect and international stature. Indeed, his life’s work had already earned him a level of respect and prestige which was accorded to few Third World leaders.
Cheddi Jagan influenced the political life of Guyana for fifty years, and in so doing, established standards of personal conduct, ideals, and principles which will guide Guyana’s destiny far into the next century.
His life was marked by controversy mainly because he was a pioneer, and the ideas he propounded and the course he charted were innovative. Frequently, he advanced ideas long before they obtained general acceptance. Hence, he developed a reputation, justly deserved, as a controversial fighter.
His contributions to Guyana as a political leader, Chief Minister, Premier, Opposition Leader and President are profound and multi-dimensional. As Guyana’s first working-class political leader, he saw before anyone else the fundamental necessity for political unity. Hence, his most important legacy, the PPP, started as a movement of the united working-class allied to farmers and professionals and business people. Unfortunately, the political unity established in 1950 with the formation of the PPP was destroyed in 1955, but Cheddi Jagan’s political career after that was marked by continuous and painstaking efforts to recapture the unity of 1950-1953. These efforts, about which he spoke shortly before his death, and his lifelong dedication to the elimination of poverty and exploitation, established him as a widely admired and respected leader even among those who did not support his other policies. The outpouring of sorrow and sympathy during the largest funeral in Guyana’s history were the most poignant tribute to his memory.
