Reminiscences of Cheddi Jagan
When Dr. Cheddi Jagan return to the then British Guiana in 1943, he was a young man of 25 years. His first task was to establish his dental surgery, which he opened in 1944 at 69 Main Street, Georgetown. He soon had a fairly good practice. In the two years up to the formation of the Political Affairs Committee in 1946, he began to move around, meet people and lay the basis (even though unaware of it to the time) of what was to be his lifetime career.Cheddi Jagan - The years 1943 to 1948
by Janet Jagan
He was to the people of his home estate, Port Mourant,, a phenomenon, the first to reach professional status. A doctor's degree at that time was unusual and people then paid great respect to anyone with a degree, especially one who came from a sugar estate.(These were the days of "doctor" politics). There was a pride that one of their own had reached such great heights.Fortunately, this never went to his head and he was little affected by the esteem in which he was held for achieving his professional status.
Dr. Jagan was, however, concerned about conditions of sugar workers in the estate in which he was born and soon was being called in by workers for advice on how to fight various issues. The two unions at the time failed to gain the confidence of the workers and were known to be puppets of the planters.Workers in other estates in Berbice also sought his advice. I accompanied him on those trips and began to see and understand the country and its people. He joined the Man-Power Citizens' Association (MPCA) for a short period, hoping to provide representation to the workers, but he soon found this to be futile because of the nature of that union, which was in fact a company union. All this came to the fore a few years later when the workers of the East Coast Demerara sugar estates went on strike, which culminated in the Enmore shooting and the death of the five workers, now know as the Enmore Martyrs.
While he was learning first hand about the real problems facing sugar workers, the largest group of workers in the country, he was starting to have a view of the dismal political situation There was no organised political party to enunciate national issues. There was an antiquated Legislative Council dominated by the Colonial Office which, due to the war, had not had members elected for a number of years. It was not until 1947, that elections were again held. Political groups sprang up at election time, but did not continue on a permanent basis.
Both of us attended a discussion circle at the then Carnegie Public Library. These were thought provoking and doubtlessly led to his ideas about finding a solution to the barren political situation. By 1946, we had met two people who seemed also to be concerned about the need for political action and a political vehicle to express demands for representative government and to address the needs of the people in a colonial environment. Further, we were influenced by the anti-colonial struggle of the post World War II period and in particular, the way the Indian Independence struggle was proceeding.It was in November 1946 that Ashton Chase, H.J.M. Hubbard and the two of us formed the Political Affairs Committee which gave a specific commitment that we would strive to lay the foundation for the formation of a political party based on the concept of socialism and dedicated to achieving improved social and economic conditions for the people.
Two years later, June 1948 was Enmore and the brutal slaying of five sugar workers. Dr. Jagan led the funeral march of the workers from Enmore to La Repentir cemetery in Georgetown. This event had a deep effect on him and furthered his belief that he had a role to play in the liberation of the Guyanese people from tyranny, exploitation and colonial rule. In his book "The West on Trial", he expressed this more decisively when he wrote that he had made a silent pledge at the graveside of the five Enmore Martyrs that he would devote his life to freeing his people from exploitation.
Another aspect that would become part of his political outlook was his strong belief in internationalism. This would be expressed later in his life as demonstrated in his intense campaign to bring about a New Global Human Order.
During this early period of his political life an event took place which gave expression to this concept. The Canadian Seamen's Union had e strike of the seamen on all the Canadian ships throughout the world. Two of the ships were in Port Georgetown when the strike was called, and all the seamen went on strike. There was no one to back them so we did out best That included providing the ships with water and food which we would carry late at night in a small boat to the ships, as the authorities were trying to force the men off the ship by denying them supplies.
Later, when they had to leave the ships, we helped by providing accommodation, legal aid and by making arrangements for their return to Canada. It was a good example of international solidarity, something he felt strongly about all his life.
While he continued his dental practice, eventually moving to 199 Charlotte Street in the heart of the city, a practice which was growing due to the exceptionally high quality of his dentistry, he was devoting more and more attention to his political activity.
He had another responsibility, to his family, and from the very beginning after his return from studies in the USA, he began the systematic education of his younger brothers and sisters, sending them abroad for studies in dentistry, law, medicine, optometry and nursing. Unlike many in his professional class, he was little interested in the accumulation of wealth and living in style. We lived frugally in simple rented houses for some 25 years before building our home in Bel Air.
It was in 1947 that Dr Cheddi Jagan entered the hurry burly of politics when he ran for the Central Demerara seat as an independent labour candidate. He won office and was a popular candidate, his well-known charisma coming into full view of the electorate (restricted as it was without universal adult suffrage). He confounded the old guard in the Parliament of the day who didn't know quite what to do with this young man who came from the bowels of the sugar estates. They were concerned and hostile to his radical approach of most issues and his determined efforts to get to the truth, as he did when he exposed the control of the media, newspapers and radio, in the hands of interlocking directorates of those who also controlled the political and economic life of the country.
They were accustomed to bombasts who came into the Legislature and made a lot of noise; the noisier they were, the higher the pay-off. But while Dr. Jagan made a lot of noise, he was not for sale.
To appease their chagrin at this upstart who seemed to know too much and wanted a lot for the people, they began to say that his white wife was the one who had all the brains and that he was just doing her bidding. This slander which aimed at denigrating his intelligence and his worth continued through the years and one still hears it said. It was in fact, a racial slur, that a 'coolie' boy from the estate could not have an intellect of his own.
It is a great pity that later this year, we would have celebrated Dr. Jagan's 50th year in Parliament, a monumental record of achievement which expresses what he has done, and what he has meant to the people and the nation he served.
During this period before the formation of the People's Progressive Party in January 1950, it was a very important stage in the life of the man who was to become President of Guyana after waging a 28 years battle to restore democracy and end the despotic regime of the PNC led by Messrs Burnham and Hoyte.
These distinct characteristics of Dr. Jagan were emerging at this time of his life when he was in his 20's and 30's. The internal discipline that permitted him to do so many things and to carry such heavy loads of responsibility was emerging as a distinct aspect of his character.
His ability to concentrate in the presence of many diversions was also becoming apparent. For example, after he and his government were catapulted out of office in 1964 following the CIA intervention and all the horrific events of that period, he sat down and wrote "The West on Trial". His toughness of spirit which allowed him to take an objective view of situations despite unusual, excessive and persistent attacks and obstacles was now becoming evident.
Also emerging as his character was further developing, was an aspect of what was to become a life-long love and commitment - studying, reading and writing. He read extensively. He enjoyed reading and then discussing, arguing, persuading and the general cut and thrust of debate with friends and opponents alike.
Later in life, writing articles, pamphlets and books were very important to him as were speaking engagements, lectures and the political platform when he could teach as well as campaign on issues and for elections.
His unpretentious dignity and humility were part of his being. His stately posture, his gracefulness and his famous warm smile were part of the aura, the charisma of this outstanding man. He exercised daily, ate moderately and did not smoke or drink).
A very important part of his character was his love of people, his humanity and his unswerving desire to make the lives of people better.
His enemies have always accused him of 'race politics' but this is so far from the truth that it is an abomination. He never saw people as belonging to one race or another; he saw them as the exploited or the exploiters. He always, without exception, saw people without any regard to ethnic origin. He was in fact 'colour blind'. His goal was always national unity.
In my view, Dr Jagan's formative years were during this important period of his life, 1943 - 1948.
© 2001 Janet Jagan
Reminiscences of Cheddi Jagan - The
Dentist
by Janet Jagan
Cheddi Jagan returned to Guyana (then British Guiana) in mid-1943 and I arrived in December 1943.
We rented the second and third floors of 69 Main Street, Georgetown, two buildings south of the Main Street, Roman Catholic Cathedral where he opened his dental practice on the second floor and had bedrooms on the top floor. We had our dining room/sitting room and kitchen behind the separating walls of the surgery.
Dr. Jagan taught his brother Naipaul and cousin "Kootch" to do the dental laboratory work while I performed as his dental assistant. My 2˝ years as a nursing student helped me to be a useful dental assistant.
He had a few patients in the beginning and this grew larger as his reputation as a good dentist, not charging high fees, brought him a rather comfortable practice in the early days and later, a larger practice.
Dr. Jagan was a very meticulous person and could not stand anything second rate or not of the highest standards. In the beginning, he was very stern with his two laboratory assistants and would send back their works – bridges, dentures, inlays etc, until they reached the perfection he demanded.
These early proceedings were mere examples of the character he had and indication of the man who would later lead his country to its independence and become known as the Father of the Nation.
He refused to accept second-best. He demanded the best from those who worked with him and gave the best to his patients – whether poor or rich, and he had both. He never ‘short-changed’ anyone and was always totally honest. If he did something, whether it was in his profession as a dentist, or later as a political leader, he gave the best that he could.
In dentistry, as in his later life devoted fully to the political life of his country, he excelled. His dentures, for example, looked real. Even today with more advanced technology, I see prominent dentists giving their patients dentures which I can immediately detect as being false. Not his! He would spend long hours being sure that the colour and shape of the false teeth were correct, and if they did not look good, he would start all over again.
There are not enough professionals today who try that hard to meet perfection. But that was part of his unusual character.
The other dentists were annoyed at his low fees, but he felt he could not exploit his patients.
Also, he refused to ruin good teeth by gold crowns, which then were in fashion. He was responsible for ending the gold crown craze that existed and destroyed good teeth.
While his dental practice was growing and he had enough money to begin the education of his brothers and sisters, it was evident then, back in the 1940’s, that wealth and status were not his goals. He was not interested in money as the accumulation of money. In fact we never had much, since most of his income in those days went to his family. We lived frugally with just the minimum of clothing, the most inexpensive household furniture and goods and in rented houses until 1967 when we finally built a house in Bel Air, on land we had purchased in 1957 for $3,000.
During this period which was the beginning of Dr. Jagan’s political career, we began visiting workers on the sugar estates, at their request. But more on that later.
© 2001 Janet Jagan
Reminiscences of Cheddi Jagan -1964-1966
by Janet Jagan
After the 1964 elections and their aftermath, we moved out of Red House, our home since 1961. It was a beautiful old building from the 19th Century and was occupied until Dr. Jagan became Premier by high-ranking British Civil servants, the last being the Colonial Secretary Mr. Jakeway. It was always called Red House because of the colour of the shingled building.
Although the PPP won the most votes of any single party – 47% - under the newly introduced electoral system of proportional representative (PR), we did not win over 50% which would guarantee us the government. Two small parties – one Muslim and one other were urged to contest in order to split the PPP votes. The other Party was headed by the disgruntled Balram Singh Rai, a former Minister of the PPP government who left under highly controversial circumstances.
The complete changing of the electoral system from constituency to PR was introduced to prevent the PPP from again winning elections, as it had done in 1953, 1957 and 1961. This was all a reflection of the Cold War atmosphere.
According to normal parliamentary procedure, the Party with the greatest numbers of votes should have been called in to form the government. If it failed, other parties could be approached. However, in this instance, the British, behind the scenes, brought together the People’s National Congress headed by Forbes Burnham and the United Force led by big businessman Peter D’Aguair to form the government, which they did.
With these changes, we immediately moved out of Red House to a hastily rented house on Camp Street, a very noisy area of the City.
What I found amazing was how Dr. Jagan reacted to all these changes – from living in Red House to living in the new quarters– from Premier to Opposition Leader. He sat down quietly at a table and started assembling papers; then sat down for long hours in the day and night to write "The West on Trial." His powers of concentration were indeed impressive.
Of course, his daytime writings were frequently broken by internal party meetings, fulfilling his duties as General Secretary and going around the country side talking to Party members and supporters, helping them understand what had taken place and keeping their spirits high.
I cannot now remember how long it took him to complete the book, but I believe it was over a year, since he had so many other duties to perform, including his role of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.
On top of all of all of that, he started making plans for his family to have a permanent place of abode, as we had been renting our living quarters since 1943. A simple house was constructed on a house lot in Bel Air that we had purchased in 1957 and we moved there in 1967, by this time with very little furniture, and with our two children, Cheddi Jr. and Nadira and our dog and monkey.
© 2001 Janet Jagan