13th death anniversary: WPO pays tribute to former President Janet Jagan

The Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) on Sunday paid tribute to former President, the late Janet Jagan with a simple wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate her thirteenth death anniversary at Babu Jaan, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Jagan served as the President of Guyana from December 19, 1997, to August 11, 1999. She was the first female President of Guyana. She previously served as the first female Prime Minister of Guyana from March 17, 1997, to December 19, 1997.
Jagan also held several other elected offices. She died on March 28, 2009.

During the wreath-laying ceremony which was attended by supporters of the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat said there is a need to recognise the comrades who are still present and continued the struggles of Janet Jagan.
“We must all recognise the comrades who would have held this Party strong who are still with us today. Every single task performed by all of our comrades throughout the entire country was significant in the PPP getting back into Government. Whether you were a polling agent, whether you cook food for the polling agent, whether you transported voters, or the food or organising fund-raising activity…you played a part. And that is why every single member of our party and its arms are important in this struggle. The struggle to make people’s lives better because that is the struggle that comrade Cheddi and comrade Janet started out with,” the Natural Resources Minister said.

Janet Jagan was the wife of the late Cheddi Jagan who served as Guyana’s third Executive President.
While pointing out that the late Cheddi and Janet Jagan sacrificed their lives in order for Guyanese to have a “One Guyana”, Minister Bharrat said the PPP is the only national party in Guyana.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Ramotar in his remarks explained that the greatest legacy of the Jagans is the Party.
“And we must all ensure that the character of this Party should never change. We must always be a Party of the working people of our country – the workers and farmers. Those are the people who sustained us; those are the people who carried our struggles forward and we sought to deliver to them,” the former President said.
Also speaking at the event was the President of the WPO, Indra Chandarpal. According to Chandrapal, Janet Jagan came to Guyana and stood up for women, ensuring that they participate in all activities.
When Janet Jagan formed the Women’s Progressive Organisation in 1953, she advocated for mothers to send their children to school, Chandarpal pointed out.
“Because we all know that if you educate one woman you are educating the whole family. Thus, it was necessary to get women to send their daughters to school. We need to recall the environment in which we were living in,” she added.
Currently, the WPO engages in providing assistance to the underprivileged.
Also attending the event were Advisor to the Minister of Health, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo; General Secretary of the Rice Producers Association, Dharmakumar Seeraj; President of the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union, Seepaul Narine, and Region Six Chairman David Armogan. (G4)