Written by Savitri Laikram
MEMBERS of the Bel Air Prashad Nagar People’s Progressive Party (PPP) group on Sunday paid homage to former President Mrs. Janet Jagan to commemorate her 93rd birth anniversary at the Jagan’s Heritage home in Bel Air, Georgetown.

Born Janet Rosenburg on October 20, 1920 in the United States of America, the late First Lady and President, Mrs Janet Jagan, was hailed as a hero who had touched thousands of lives in her fight to transform the nation.
Former Local Government Minister, Mr Clinton Collymore spoke about the struggles of Mrs Jagan for this country. He depicted Guyana’s first female President as an indefatigable freedom fighter and working class champion.
Collymore said that Mrs Jagan came to British Guiana in December 1943, and worked for 10 years as a dental nurse in Dr Cheddi Jagan’s clinic, before entering the political arena.

He reflected that in 1946, Mrs. Jagan founded the Women’s Political and Economic Organisation, later called the WPO. He noted that Mrs. Jagan’s personality was multifaceted, touching many lives in different ways.
Collymore lauded Mrs Jagan’s ability to use her pen as a weapon in the fight for human rights, among other causes close to her heart. He said that she was the kind of person who showed thorough leadership skills and her life was undoubtedly an inspiration to many.
He noted that what he is today is solely the product of her care and advice. “She was a great woman,” he said, “a social revolutionary.” He noted she has greatly assisted the present government in their tremendous success.

Collymore recalled that Mrs Jagan was an admirable woman, a loving wife and mother to her family as well as a brilliant administrator, a fearless fighter and party member. She was both bold and strong and fearless when it came to fighting for the rights of others.
Reflecting on her portfolio, Collymore noted that in 1950, she co-founded the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and was elected party General Secretary, holding that post between 1950 and 1970. She was, since then, a member of the PPP General Council, Central Committee and Executive Committee, and also served as International Secretary and Executive Secretary.
In 1953, Mrs. Jagan was one of the three women to enter the House of Assembly as a representative of the Essequibo constituency, and was the first woman to become Deputy Speaker of the Legislature.
The constituency of Essequibo re-elected Mrs Jagan to the Legislature, and she was appointed Minister of Labour, Health and Housing in 1957. On the death of the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Claude Christian in 1963, Mrs Jagan became Minister of Home Affairs and a member of the Senate; but she resigned that ministerial portfolio in 1964 in protest over incidents at Wismar.
After the PPP had ended a boycott of Parliament to protest the rigging of elections in 1973, she returned to the House as an opposition MP, and served in the House continuously. She was returned in 1980, 1985 and 1992. In April 1997, she became the longest serving Member of Parliament.
He also said that in 1992, after the first free and fair elections had been held in post-independent Guyana, Mrs. Jagan was designated First Lady of the Republic of Guyana, and continued her work as Editor of the Mirror newspaper.
Collymore said that on March 17, 1997, Mrs. Jagan was sworn in as Guyana’s first female Prime Minister and First Vice-President; and on December 19, 1997, she was sworn in as the first female President of the Republic of Guyana, and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Guyana.
She has since been honoured with Guyana’s highest award, the Order of Excellence, and recognised with the Woman of Achievement award from the University of Guyana and in 1997, UNECSO awarded Mrs. Jagan the Gandhi Gold Medal for Peace, Democracy and Women’s Rights.
A skit was also performed by the members as they portrayed how Mrs Jagan changed the lives of many Guyanese over the years.