FIRST LADY Mrs. Deolatchmee Ramotar and the staff of Freedom House on Saturday joined in celebrating the 93rd birthday of Mr. Edmund Forde of Buxton, East Coast Demerara.

Mr. Forde who has a street named in his honour in the village has been associated since the mid 1940’s with the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan and the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), which was the precursor to the establishment of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in January, 1950. He has served as a grassroot activist for well over 60 years and continues to volunteer even at his ripe old age by selling the party’s weekly publication ‘The Mirror’ within his community.
The small gathering of party comrades, other friends and family have become an annual event over the years and the sprightly Mr. Forde is always eager to engage in a conversation, highlighting his early struggles with Dr. Jagan and the PPP to bring about meaningful change in Guyana.
Mrs. Ramotar in presenting a token on behalf of her children and husband President Donald Ramotar who was unable to attend as he was in the Rupununi, thanked Mr. Forde for his dedicated service to the party and fighting for the empowerment of all Guyanese for so many years.
The staff at Freedom House, the headquarters of the party as has become customary presented a hamper and encouraged him to continue onwards to a 100 not out.
Mr. Forde in response thanked all his well-wishers. In his rhetorical style he stated “I am still here aren’t I!” in expressing a sense of vindication of the close relationship he has shared with the PPP over so many decades.
Providing he remains healthy, Mr. Forde plans to attend the party’s 30th Congress in August this year.