– Janet Jagan remembered on 100th birth anniversary at Babu Jaan
A MEMORIAL activity to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of the late President, Janet Jagan, was held at the Babu Jaan memorial site located in Port Mourant (East Berbice-Corentyne), on Saturday, by the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO).
President of the WPO, Indra Chandrapal, described Mrs. Jagan as “a remarkable iconic character in our country’s history” as she shared stories on how the former President shaped and influenced lives.
Chandrapal and Mrs Jagan were close friends for some 39 years until she died.
Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, who delivered the feature address, credited the late President for her decision to venture into politics. He recalled it was in 1994 when he was only 14-years-old that a conversation with Mrs. Jagan made him realise that by being a politician he will be in a better position to make a difference in the lives of others.
“I was young and we kept hearing ‘politics is a dirty game’ over and over and it deterred many from wanting to get into the field but after a short conversation with comrade Janet Jagan, I decided there and then that I will become a politician because she showed me and helped me to understand that the adage ‘politics is a dirty game’ was not necessarily true but it is how you play the game that mattered and the unlimited possibilities and impact I can make by becoming a politician,” Minister Bharrat told the gathering.
He reflected on the many sacrifices Mrs Jagan made as a young person after she married Guyanese politician who later founded the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Cheddi Jagan, and left her home in the United States of America to live in Guyana.
According to Minister Bharrat, Mrs Jagan gave up her US citizenship, a mere four years later, in 1943, to participate in the general and regional elections.
The Natural Resources Minister noted that Mrs. Jagan managed to be on par with her husband, who was often classified as the father of the nation, due to her selflessness and genuine care for the well-being of others, especially those who were oppressed.
Minister Bharrat said it was Mrs Jagan who was responsible for many of the developments in Guyana including becoming an oil producing nation.
“It was comrade Janet that signed the oil exploration licence in 1999, even though she was criticised at that point in time but she did what was best for Guyana. At that time, no one knew there was oil there but Comrade Janet took the risk and she took the initiative to sign the exploration licence so that Exxon Mobil can start drilling offshore Guyana and today we are an oil-producing country because of Janet Jagan.”
Minister Bharrat noted that one of the most notable traits of Mrs. Jagan and her husband was the ability to remain grounded with the people despite their busy schedules.
“Today, as we reflect to keep the legacy of Comrade Janet and comrade Cheddie alive, we need to stay grounded with our people. We need to ensure we go out and listen to the cries and concerns of our people; that we ensure that we represent the working class in our country because sometimes we tend to forget and only remember when election is around and this is something that needs to change if we want to keep the Jagan legacy alive.”
Meanwhile, Chandrapal expressed thanks to the speakers who captured different aspects of Mrs Jagan’s life.
“I was really impressed with the messages that came out of this celebration here today [Saturday], all the sentiments that [were] expressed with respect to her work, her life, her struggles, her commitment, her love, her leadership, her honesty, her bravery and all the things that highlighted different aspects of her character and we want to thank you for what you have said because she is indeed a remarkable iconic character in our country’s history,” the WPO President said.
The other speakers included Members of Parliament, Dharamkumar Seeraj, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo and Regional Chairman David Armogan.
Janet Jagan was born on October 20, 1920 and died on March 28, 2009; she was the recipient of many awards including the Order of Excellence in 1993 as well as the UNESCO Mahatma Ghandi Gold medal for women’s rights in 1998. She was the first female Prime Minister and President of Guyana.
She served as President from December 19, 1997 to August 11, 1999 and as Prime Minister from March 17, 1997 to December 19, 1997.
