Remembering Cheddi Jagan
Realizing Cheddi's Dream of Freedom
BY PARVATI PERSAUD-EDWARDS
Cheddi's Fight For Independence
Young trade unionist and political activist, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, at Montego Bay in 1945 adopted the Caribbean Labour Congress resolution for federation with dominion status and internal self-government for each territory. He argued on this position in a debate in the Legislative Council in 1948.The European oligarchy, however, did not want control of the colonies slipping out of their hands and saw Cheddi Jagan as their bitter enemy who could neither be bought nor persuaded to change his policies, so they decided to curtail his activities and undermine his influence at any cost, which they eventually succeeded in doing at the expense of a budding nationhood of a united Guyanese people.
The "PAC Bulletin," which was informing and educating the masses on the need for self-rule, among other issues, was the focus of much agitation by the "massas," who wanted a ban on the six-page mimeographed bulletin.
Vigorous and unrelenting lobbying had led to a new constitution being granted in 1943, with a Legislative Council comprising four ex-officio members, including the Governor, seven nominated non-official and 14 elected members. Elections had been postponed several times, but as a placatory gesture Ayube Edun and Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow had been nominated to the Council.
Several independents contested the 1947 General Elections. It was subsequent to those historic elections, after a victorious Cheddi Jagan first took his seat in the Legislative Council, that the political landscape of British Guiana took a dynamic and dramatic turn.
The Legislative Council became a genuine forum for real debates, even though 'li'l country boy' Jagan was initially ignored by the middle and upper class 'gentlemen,' but he eventually succeeded in transforming the legislature into a forum for the pursuit of social and political justice for his people.
It was during this time that Cheddi Jagan was branded 'communist' by the colonials and the capitalists, because his politics predisposed to fighting for equal rights for the working class, arguing for the empowerment of the helpless and vulnerable in society through various measures and mechanisms he propagated, and was uncompromising in his demands, much to the chagrin and anger of the ruling elitists.
Challenging the upper and bourgeoisie class for the establishment of rights for the proletariat in the Legislative Assembly Jagan was defeated almost every time by the combined efforts of the commercial and ruling elite, but he pursued his struggles at street corners and bottom houses across the country, awakening an awareness and a militancy in British Guiana's subdued and subjugated working class masses. Throughout his lifetime of struggle this bonding with the masses was Cheddi Jagan's strength. His trademark honesty and sincerity was reflected in his blinding smile that won hearts everywhere.
Those who supported the injustices meted out to the working class were amply rewarded. The opposite held true of those who opposed the oppressive systems that had become institutionalized through various factors, all beneficial to the dominant class. Jagan was perceived as their deadly enemy who must be crushed at any cost.
Continuous agitation and protest actions against the plantocracy elicited vicious retribution and, during a 4 1/2 month strike in eight sugar estates, five labourers were shot dead at Plantation Enmore, prompting Cheddi Jagan to pledge "I would dedicate my entire life to the cause of the struggle of the Guyanese people against bondage and exploitation."
The original founder-members of PAC had by then invited several other persons to form a political party in order to provide themselves a stronger platform from which to struggle against imperialism; so it was that the People's Progressive Party (PPP) was formed in January of 1950.
Founder-member Ashton Chase, who was supposed to be chairman, gave way to new member LFS Burnham because of the latter's greater academic achievements. Other office bearers included Dr. Cheddi Jagan, who was elected leader, and Mrs. Janet Jagan, who became the first General-Secretary of the PPP because of her leadership and organising capabilities. The "PAC Bulletin" became "The Thunder," which Mrs. Jagan edited until the day she died.
Continuous agitation by the PPP resulted in the Waddington Constitution Commission visiting British Guiana in 1950. The PPP delegation argued, on the principles of self-determination as outlined in the Atlantic Charter, for the right of the people of British Guiana to frame their own Constitution by the election of a constituent assembly.
The Constitution Commission did not agree to this, and although concessionary changes were made, all veto powers were left in the hands of the representatives of the British Government.
In the meantime the outrageous injustices continued, even to the extent of the prohibition of literary material, which was being freely circulated in the UK and elsewhere, but which was denied to members of the PPP.
Cheddi Jagan was the only member of the Legislature who voted against this violation of a basic human liberty as expressed in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the UN. However, the ban stayed in place. This served as a pretext to oppress PPP members, and it was on the charge of possession of subversive literature, in the form of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru's "Towards Freedom" that Janet Jagan was arrested at a Bhagwat in 1954 and jailed for six months of hard labour, just a few days before her husband was due to be released from a six-months stint in jail for civil disobedience of British Colonial orders.
Universal Adult Suffrage Won: Suspension of the Constitution
British Guiana's first elections under universal adult suffrage was held in 1953 and the PPP won a landslide victory, despite being unable to contest 2 seats in the remote areas due to lack of funds.However, real rule still reposed in the hands of the colonial and entrepreneurial elite. On the day the elected majority passed in the House the Labour Relations Bill requiring employers to negotiate with labour unions selected by workers, which was deemed "another communist measure," British troops entered British Guiana and, on Friday 9th October 1953, the Constitution was suspended , ending the constitutionally-elected PPP's term after only 133 days in office, and an interim regime was then appointed.
The United States was a prime mover behind the suspension of the Constitution. A month before the PPP's removal from office US Congressman Jackson had observed that BG was within the strategic zone of the US, and Cheddi Jagan was seen as the prime stumbling block of the continued domination of the superpowers in British Guiana.
Resistance to this rape of democracy and the persecution of selected Party leaders, which included jail, detention, and curtailment of travel beyond certain boundaries, was met with a "reign of terror" by the interim regime.
However, the struggle intensified. Civil disobedience and passive resistance, along the lines of Gandhi's freedom fight, had severe repercussions. Discrimination against trade unions, eviction of leaders from sugar estates, and unlimited victimization of dissidents was the order of the day.
In May of 1954 police closed down the PPP headquarters in Regent St and a rift, started by ambitious leaders within the PPP, was encouraged by the oligarchy. Those whose ambitions created a divide in the Party were not jailed nor confined in any way. The Robertson Commission, while condemning Dr. and Mrs. Jagan, Sydney King, Rory Westmaas, Brindley Benn, and Martin Carter as having "communistic leanings, "had said in Paragraph 104 of the Report: "Mr. Burnham is generally recognized as the leader of the socialists in the Party."
The deal offered Burnham was that elections would be allowed if the breakaway faction could garner majority support. This premise did not fructify although two factions of the PPP entered the 1957 elections under the leadership of Jagan and Burnham.
The Jagan faction of the PPP won in nine of the fourteen constituencies. However, although the Party was in office, it was not allowed to hold power. Jagan was given the title 'Chief Minister,' which was changed to 'Premier' after the Party, under his leadership, again won in 1961; but real power was still retained by the British Governor.
Cheddi's Dream Realized: Independence Granted
Lobbying for self-rule was an unending struggle by the Jaganites, but the powers-that-were had no intention to concede independence to an unmanageable Jagan's leadership. They thought that Burnham would have been more controllable.The Burnhamites had renamed their Party the People's National Congress (PNC) and Mr. Burnham said that he would support the Party that won the 1961 elections in a bid for independence. However, after the PPP again won, strife and disturbances to derail the PPP Government followed.
In 1962, as blueprinted in the notorious X-13 Plan, forces created riots across the country in an open attempt to destabilize and remove the PPP Government.
When the demonstrations and riots intensified Governor Sir Ralph Grey openly suggested to Dr. Jagan that he resign as Premier in order to put a stop to the riots, thereby revealing the nefarious collaborative plan between the ruling faction and the subversive forces to remove the PPP Government. Subsequent de-classified US State documents, and an apology from Henry Kissenger after Dr. Jagan became President in 1992, confirmed this as fact.
British troops arrived in BG on 16th February 1962, forcing a postponement of the Constitutional Conference to 23rd October. The PNC and the UF opposed independence, however, and demanded an electoral system of proportional representation, thus paving the way to removing the PPP from Government by way of a coalition between the PNC and the UF.
Duncan Sandys forced the PPP to accept the PR system through manipulative measures which resulted in further riots in 1963. Dr. Jagan was forced to concede in order to avoid more bloodshed and destruction in the country.
The rest is history. The PPP entered the 1964 General Elections under protest and won 24 seats. The PNC and the UF joined their respective 22 and 7 seats to form a coalition government with the sanction of Governor Sir Ralph Grey.
Even out of office the PPP continued to fight the imperialist forces for independence, although the Party boycotted the London Independence Conference in protest at the detention of Messrs C.V. Nunes and Joseph Jardim; and emergency orders imposed on the nation.
However, the British, which had denied independence to a Jagan-led PPP Government, granted independence to a Government led by Burnham under the assumption that he would be more amenable to control.
The Guyana Independence Act of 1966, the Constitution of Guyana, and the Guyana Order-in-Council constituted the independence instruments.
By the Guyana Independence Act the British Government, on or after 26th May 1966, relinquished ".......responsibility for the government of the territory which immediately constitutes the Colony of British Guiana and which on or after that day is to be called Guyana,"
After the ceremonies Cheddi Jagan, who had fought long and hard for this eventuality, spontaneously hugged Forbes Burnham in a burst of exuberance at the long-last, hard-fought-for realization of a dream of freedom.
However, this was a subjective freedom, as the oppressive forces still held sway in the land. They dominated and devastated this nation with impunity as a result of one rigged election after another.
However, the forces that had conspired to defraud Dr. Jagan of the leadership he so richly deserved joined efforts with the collective freedom-fighting brigade in the land, resulting in a democratically-elected government for the first time in decades.
5th October 1992 truly heralded the dawn of a new era in Guyana.