IN WHAT has been turned into an annual tradition, the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO), youth arm of the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPPC), presented a ‘Night of Reflection’ to honour the life and times of late former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan (22 March 1918 – 6 March 1997).The event was held last Wednesday evening at the former presidential residence, the Red House in Kingston, Georgetown, which currently houses the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre.
Speaker Navin Chanderpaul stressed the importance of youth to leadership, showing how early political developments were spearheaded by young persons with a vision for the country. He noted that when Dr. Jagan

returned to British Guiana in 1943, after pursuing studies in the United States, he was only 25 years old; and Chandrapal traced the origins of the PYO, which was established on September 6, 1956.
He noted that Dr. Jagan had a special place for youth, as he considered youth the ‘vanguard’ of the struggle for freedom, and he personally attended the congresses of the PYO.
However, Chandrapal cautioned the youth that they must not view themselves as a solitary force, but must fit into the wider force.

HISTORY
Dr. Jagan (22 March 1918 – 6 March 1997), who was born in the rural Berbice village of Port Mourant, was first elected Chief Minister in 1953, and later became Premier of British Guiana from 1961 to 1964, prior to independence. He later served as President of Guyana from 1992 to 1997. He is widely regarded in Guyana as the “Father of the Nation”.
The eldest of 11 children, Dr Jagan was born to parents who came from India to British Guiana as indentured labourers. His family grew up in rural poverty, and had to work in the cane fields to support the family. His father wanted to make sure his son attended school, and sent him to Queen’s College in the capital city of Georgetown, about 100 miles away, for the next three years.
After Dr Jagan graduated from high school, finding a job almost became impossible, and his father decided to send him to the United States to study dentistry at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Jagan returned to British Guiana in October 1943, and was elected to the colonial legislative body, the Legislative Council, in November 1947 as an independent candidate from Central Demerara constituency.
On January 1, 1950, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was founded, with Dr. Jagan as its Leader; Forbes Burnham as its Chairman; and Dr. Jagan’s wife, the former Janet Rosenberg, as Secretary.
DR Jagan won in a colonially administered election in 1953, but was removed from power militarily by Britain. Dr. Jagan resigned as British Guiana’s prime minister after 133 days in office. Britain suspended the constitution, and chose an interim government. From 1954 to 1957, Dr. Jagan’s movements were restricted to Georgetown.
After a PPP victory in the August 1961 election, Dr. Jagan became Chief Minister for a second time, serving for three years. In the December 1964 election, the PPP won a plurality of votes, but Burnham’s party, the People’s National Congress, and the conservative United Force were nevertheless invited to form the government.
After 28 years in opposition, Dr Jagan and the PPP won the October 5, 1992 election with about 54% of the votes, and Dr. Jagan became President.
Dr. Jagan suffered a heart attack on 15 February 1997, and was taken to Georgetown Hospital before being flown by U.S. military aircraft to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C., later that day. He underwent heart surgery there and died in Washington on March 6, 1997.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Dr Jagan was also an important political author and speechwriter, and his publications include: Forbidden Freedom: The Story of British Guiana (Hansib, 1954), The West On Trial: My Fight for Guyana’s Freedom (Harpy, 1966), The Caribbean Revolution (1979), The Caribbean Whose Backyard (1984), Selected Speeches 1992-1994 (Hansib, 1995), The USA in South America (Hansib, 1998), A New Global Human Order (Harpy, 1999) and Selected Correspondences 1953-1965 (Dido Press, 2004).
The ‘Night of Reflection’ was one of the daily activities that will be spread throughout the month of March to celebrate the life of Dr. Jagan and his late wife, Mrs Janet Jagan.

(By Michelle Gonsalves)