SEVEN volumes of speeches made by the late President Dr. Cheddi Jagan, in the National Assembly, were launched Thursday, on the 94th birth anniversary of this great leader, who was widely regarded as the ‘Father of the Nation’. The inspiration for this project came from Resolution #46 passed by the National Assembly on December 14, 2007. It was a resolution that came to the National Assembly to recognise the profound contributions made by Dr. Jagan to development, democratisation, and transformation of our country.
This was a most fitting and appropriate gesture because Dr. Jagan, apart from his entire political struggle, waged an epic parliamentary struggle which began way back in 1947 when he entered the Legislative Assembly at age 29, being the youngest parliamentarian at the time.
From the moment he entered this body he began to articulate and represent the interests of the poor and downtrodden and to initiate and heighten the anti-colonial struggle to which he unswervingly committed himself. This resulted in him being regarded as the Caribbean “fire brand” of politics.
During this period he used parliament to its optimum to champion the cause of the plight of the working class, whose living and social conditions were appalling under colonial rule. His speeches were passionate, articulate and supported by voluminous facts and figures and this no doubt greatly contributed to winning over the hearts and souls of the working class and became their revered hero to this day.
His battle was an uphill one having to challenge the might of wealth, who were bent on maintaining the oppressive and exploitative status quo, as he was the lone voice of the suffering masses having to battle against the representatives of the wealthy and pro-colonial class, but he did so with great effectiveness and distinction.
It was from his persistent parliamentary struggle which eventually led to the establishment of the Venn Commission to investigate the horrifying living conditions and plight of sugar workers. One of the major recommendations of this Commission was the establishment of a Sugar Industry Welfare Fund to provide for the establishment of improved housing, potable water and recreational facilities etc.
His parliamentary struggles during the colonial era was undoubtedly an epic one but during the post colonial era they were equally epic. This period was characterised by rigged elections, rife corruption, violation of human rights and economic collapse and Dr Jagan used the parliamentary forum to expose the wrong doings of the then government with great effect. This was against the background of many politicians condemning him for participating in parliament, which they dubbed illegal and, therefore, participation by the opposition would give moral sanctioning of the illegal government. These politicians also argued that he did not want to confront the government.
However, he correctly countered that parliament was being used as one instrument to expose the evils of the government and the medium to articulate the policies and positions of his party and not an end all to the struggle against the government. On the contrary it was being used to supplement the other forms of struggle that were being waged.
It was in this process he made some of the most brilliant and memorable speeches in our parliamentary history.
One of the most memorable incidents in our parliamentary history is in the late 1980s when he threw down the mace in the National Assembly in protest against the open biases and prejudice against the opposition by the government’s puppet Speaker Sase Narine, who gagged him for his remaining years as Member of Parliament.
So the launch of the publication of Dr Jagan’s speeches in the National Assembly will be a treasured and cherished piece of invaluable Guyanese history. Thus, the initiators and those responsible for the fructifying of this project must be lauded.
At the launch of the publication, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony correctly noted that over those years, Dr. Jagan would have shaped the political consciousness and steered the political will of our people to fight for independence, democracy, and social justice.
“As you read these volumes, you can hear the voice of a man who, against tremendous odds and tremendous difficulties, championing the cause for national unity and for pro-people policies,” the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament insisted.
“These volumes, taken together, will give us a renewed insight into the life and work of Dr. Jagan,” Dr Anthony asserted.