MARCH 6, 2023, marks the 26th death anniversarry of former President, Dr Cheddi Jagan, widely regarded as the Father of the Nation and the architect of the liberation struggle in Guyana.

Few men in history had achieved as much in a lifetime as Dr Jagan did. He was instrumental in bringing an end to British colonial rule and was the first elected Premier of the then British Guiana, following his party’s victory in the first democratic elections held in 1953 under universal adult suffrage. He was removed from office after a mere six months following the suspension of the constitution, but went on to win consecutive elections in 1957 and 1961 until the British Government imposed a new electoral system of proportional representation. The new system paved the way for the coming to office in 1964 of the PNC-UF coalition. Since then all elections were rigged until October 1992, when Dr Jagan was again elected to office after being kept out of office by the PNC regime for nearly three decades.

As we drift further away from the passing of Dr Jagan, his ideas are becoming increasingly relevant, not only for Guyana, but also for the world at large. His was a strong advocate for a New Global Human Order which in essence called for a more equitable distribution of the world’s resources. It is to his credit that his brainchild of a new global order was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.

Dr Jagan was a passionate advocate for debt relief, the creation of a regional development fund and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, for which he was described by one regional leader as the ‘Dean of Caribbean politics.’

It will be recalled that Dr Jagan had repeatedly urged the industrialized countries to compensate Guyana for the preservation of its standing forests, something that has now become a reality under the current PPP/C administration, with Guyana becoming the first country in the world to benefit from payment for carbon credits.

Without a doubt, the late Dr Cheddi Jagan was a visionary who in some respects was ahead of his time. Perhaps his most enduring legacy was his indomitable fight for a democratic, peaceful, progressive and prosperous Guyana, for which he dedicated his entire adult life.

Guyanese owe a debt of gratitude to Dr Jagan for the sterling role he played in the country’s development. And even as we celebrate his life and work, we cannot but reflect on the contributions made by his  wife Janet Jagan who, as fate would have it, also passed away in the month of March. Together, they have contributed over a century of dedicated and selfless struggle  to the cause of a better Guyana.

Yours sincerely,
Hydar Ally