Dr Cheddi Jagan: A man of the people
Dr Cheddi Jagan and Mrs Janet Jagan
Dr Cheddi Jagan and Mrs Janet Jagan

LAST Friday (March 6, 2015) marked eighteen years since the passing of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Founder Leader of the PPP and former Executive President of Guyana. His wife, Janet Jagan also passed away in the same month, March 28.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP), as is now traditional, will be celebrating the life and works of those two outstanding political luminaries with activities planned in all ten regions of Guyana. The biggest event will take place today (Sunday, March 9) at Babu John on the Corentyne.
As is common knowledge, the Jagans were highly instrumental in helping to raise the political consciousness of the working people who, under colonial rule, were highly exploited by the planters and other expatriate owners.

Dr Cheddi Jagan and Mrs Janet Jagan
Dr Cheddi Jagan and Mrs Janet Jagan

Prior to the formation of the PPP, Dr. Jagan ran as an independent candidate in the elections of 1947 and won a decisive victory. In his victory speech, he declared “we the people have won. Now the struggle has begun.”
That struggle turned out to be long and bitter. Not only did Dr. Jagan had to confront the intrigues and machinations of the colonial powers and their local lackeys but he also had to do battle with opportunist elements within the ranks of his own party, some of whom sought to undermine his leadership. The Congress of 1955 would go down as one of the most painful period in the political life of the Party, just a mere five years in the life of the Party and two years after the suspension of the Constitution following a major victory scored by the PPP at the polls.
The suspension of the constitution brought to the fore the intrigues of the colonial powers to destroy the PPP and the opportunism of some leaders who were more interested in personal power rather than defending the rights of the ordinary people.
Leading that group of political opportunists was Forbes Burnham who was Party Chairman at the time of the formation of the PPP.
Dr. Cheddi Jagan was Party Leader and his wife Janet Jagan was General Secretary. The structure of the Party at that time allowed for a Party Leader and Chairman which were held by Dr. Jagan and Mr. Forbes Burnham respectively.
As it turned out, Burnham’s ambition and ego got the better of him. He was not satisfied with being Party Chairman but wanted to become Party Leader. In pursuit of that ambition, he sought to manipulate the convening of the Party Congress by announcing a date and venue which was not endorsed by the Party’s leadership but which he felt would have given him an advantage in his desire to take over the leadership. Time and space would not allow for a detailed exposition of the intrigues and machinations which took place during that time. Suffice it to say, however, that it eventually led to a split in the PPP with one section of the Party led by Dr. Cheddi Jagan and another led by Forbes Burnham. It was not until the humiliation inflicted on Burnham following the results of the 1957 elections that he changed the name of the Party to that of the People’s National Congress (PNC).
Despite the passing of Dr. Jagan and his wife Janet, the vision and core principles of the Party remains unchanged. Following the passing of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, the post of General Secretary of the Party was entrusted in the capable hands of Comrade Donald Ramotar who has continued to uphold the legacy of Dr. Jagan. Today, that post of General Secretary is entrusted in the capable hands of Mr. Clement Rohee following the elevation of Mr. Donald Ramotar as Executive President of Guyana which, from all indications, he will resume after the May 11 poll.
The PPP and the PPP/C administration is fully committed to honouring and preserving the legacy of Dr. Jagan. This, as mentioned earlier, is done through commemorative activities in the month of March. More fundamentally, it is manifested in the continuation of the policies and ideas of Dr. Jagan which is firmly rooted in the creation of a just society where every Guyanese, in particular the working people, are provided with the opportunity to lead rewarding and fulfilling lives.
The cause of a better world where ordinary people are treated with dignity and respect had always been at the centre of his political activism which later found expression in the call for the creation of a New Global Human Order.
This call had been adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, a fitting honour for a man who dedicated his entire life to the cause of working people not only in Guyana but in the world at large.

 

Prior to the formation of the PPP, Dr. Jagan ran as an independent candidate in the elections of 1947 and won a decisive victory. In his victory speech, he declared “we the people have won. Now the struggle has begun.”

 

By Hydar Ally

 

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