The year was 1918 when, on March 22, in a rural village in Guyana, the remarkable life of an ordinary sugar worker’s son began. His name was Cheddi Jagan, and before his time was over he would change the course of his country’s history by first struggling to liberate it from British colonial domination, then by waging a 28-year long struggle for the restoration of freedom and democracy, and finally by ascending to the Presidency as Guyana’s first democratically elected Head of State. Alongside Dr. Jagan in all these struggles was his American born wife, lifelong friend and political partner, Janet, who left the USA for life in Guyana, where she remained until her death on March 28, 2009. She was a woman of a number of firsts in her long history of involvement in her adopted country’s politics. She was to reach the pinnacle as first woman Head of State in December 1997, following the death in office of her husband on March 6, after first serving as Prime Minister.
They were the founders of the country’s first mass political movement and unquestionably the leading political figures in the history of Guyana for over the last 66 years. Through their tireless efforts, the small country of Guyana experienced a wealth of benefits, social advancement and economic prosperity.
As international figures they are well-known for their fight for peace and freedom around the globe. Dr. Jagan’s ideas on debt relief, as well as his proposals for a New Global Human Order, were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on November 14, 2002.  As such, he deserves credit as a major figure in modern history.