53 Facts About Cheddi Jagan

Cheddi Berret Jagan was a Guyanese politician and dentist who was first elected Chief Minister in 1953 and later Premier of British Guiana from 1961 to 1964.

Cheddi Jagan later served as President of Guyana from 1992 to his death in 1997.

Cheddi Jagan was a leading figure in the campaign for the independence of Guyana from the United Kingdom, and advocated for increased powers for trade unions at a time when British Guiana's economy was dominated by powerful foreign enterprises.

Cheddi Jagan lost his position as Prime Minister to Forbes Burnham following the 1964 British Guiana general election, and Burnham would become Guyana's first Head of Government following independence.

Cheddi Jagan Berret He was born on 22 March 1918 in Ankerville, Port Mourant, a rural village in the county of Berbice.

Cheddi Jagan's parents were married in 1909 and lived with their respective families till they were of age at sixteen years and his mother moved in with his father and grandmother in a joint family situation.

The Cheddi Jagan family lived in rural poverty, working in the cane fields to support themselves.

Cheddi Jagan's mother had worked on the estate till Jagan was nine years old.

Cheddi Jagan's father had worked his way up to become head driver on the estate, but it did not amount to much change in pay, and he had to retire at 50 due to bad health.

Cheddi Jagan received his primary education at Port Mourant Primary and the Rose Hall Scots School.

Cheddi Jagan went on to pursue secondary education at R N Persaud's private secondary school.

When Cheddi Jagan was 15 years old, his father sent him to Queen's College in the capital city of Georgetown for the next three years.

Cheddi Jagan left for the United States in September 1935 or 1936 with two friends, and did not return to British Guiana until October 1943.

Cheddi Jagan lived in Washington, DC, for two years, enrolled in a pre-dental course at Howard University.

Cheddi Jagan's performance helped him to win a scholarship for his second year at Howard.

Cheddi Jagan graduated in 1942 with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.

From 1938 to 1942, Cheddi Jagan was enrolled at the Central YMCA College in Chicago and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Cheddi Jagan was elected to the Legislative Council in November 1947 as an independent candidate from Central Demerara constituency.

In 1949 Cheddi Jagan became the president of the Sawmill Workers Union.

Cheddi Jagan encouraged strike action against important sugar company Booker, refused to send a delegation to the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, repealed a law on "undesirable publications" passed by the colonial government, and repealed another law banning immigration of politically left-leaning individuals from the West Indies.

Cheddi Jagan's movements were restricted to Georgetown from 1954 to 1957, and both him and his wife were closely monitored and kept under house arrest.

In 1954, Cheddi Jagan was sentenced to 6 months in prison with hard labour for violating a restriction on his movement, travelling to the countryside and as a result leaving Georgetown.

In court, Cheddi Jagan likened British Guiana to a "vast prison".

Cheddi Jagan's faction was majority Indo-Guayanese, and advocated for policies that would benefit mainly Indo-Guyanese, such as an increase in land for rice production and sugar industry reform through increased union powers.

The lead-up to the 1964 elections included a concerted effort by officials from the United States to ensure that Cheddi Jagan did not win the election, due to fears about Cheddi Jagan supposed communist views.

Cheddi Jagan had expressed support and encouragement for the Cuban Revolution.

The United Kingdom and United States differed on their opinions of how to solve the situation, with the British suggestion being that Cheddi Jagan should be educated rather than removed from power.

Cheddi Jagan's meeting with Kennedy in 1961 did not significantly change the American opinion of his political leanings.

Cheddi Jagan agreed to elections in 1964 under proportional representation, but John Prados posits that this was only because he received assurances from Forbes Burnham that a coalition between the two parties would be acceptable.

However, Cheddi Jagan refused to resign, and had to be removed by Luyt.

Cheddi Jagan would begin his role as leader of the opposition.

Cheddi Jagan opposed this date for independence, as it was the anniversary of the Wismar Massacre of 1964.

In 1965 Cheddi Jagan attempted to enter the United States to join a protest against the Vietnam War but he was denied entry.

Cheddi Jagan was again denied entry in 1967 to attend a planned speaking tour which had to be cancelled as a result.

Cheddi Jagan was elected as Leader of the Opposition and Minority Leader in 1966, and would remain in the role until 1973 when Marcellus Fielden Singh took over the role.

Cheddi Jagan subsequently took the role again from 1976 until his election as president in 1992.

In 1974, a raid on Cheddi Jagan's home found parts of a revolver and he was charged with illegal possession.

In 1978, Cheddi Jagan was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples by the Soviet Union at the Kremlin.

Cheddi Jagan would pursue policies to attract foreign investors and move towards free market policies.

Cheddi Jagan had a cordial relationship with the Clinton Administration in the United States, unlike his difficult relationship with Kennedy in the 1960s.

Cheddi Jagan would pursue a policy of investment in national infrastructure, including sea defences, irrigation and drainage systems, road and bridge projects and investment in health, education and electricity generation.

Cheddi Jagan would try to improve free trade in the Americas.

Cheddi Jagan announced this proposal in a speech at the United Nations in late 1995.

Cheddi Jagan has been labelled as communist or Marxist by many different sources.

Clem Seecharan said that the Jagan couple were both communists, although Cheddi was more ideological.

Janet Cheddi Jagan followed her husband's footsteps and held the positions of prime minister and president in 1997.

Cheddi Jagan suffered a heart attack on 15 February 1997 and was taken to Georgetown Hospital before being flown by US military aircraft then by US Air Force helicopter from Andrews Air Force Base to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC, later that day.

Cheddi Jagan underwent heart surgery there and died in Washington on 6 March 1997,16 days before his 79th birthday.

Cheddi Jagan's funeral was postponed by a day to allow mourners time to visit who were caught in massive traffic jams, caused by the immense number of people traveling to Port Mourant for his funeral.

Cheddi Jagan had a state funeral in Georgetown and his cremation was at the Babu John Crematorium in his hometown of Port Mourant.

The People's Progressive Party, which Cheddi Jagan founded with Janet Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham, remains one of the two dominant political parties in Guyana, along with the PNC.

In 2007, Cheddi Jagan was posthumously awarded the Order of Liberation of Guyana.

Cheddi Jagan was an important political author and speechwriter, and his publications include:.