Speaking to this newspaper yesterday, Nagamootoo said that he had the privilege of working with Mrs Jagan during her extended stint as Editor of the PPP’s Mirror newspaper. According to him, Mrs Jagan took over as Editor of the Mirror some time between 1970-1971 and served as its Editor until 1994. During the majority of period Nagamootoo served as a reporter and her editorial assistant. Nagamootoo described the first few years during which Mrs Jagan was Editor as being a very “difficult time” and said that the period was characterized by autocratic rule and blatant human rights infringements. During this period, he said, the newspaper became the victim of political excesses and was subsequently denied newsprint and access to equipment even having to stop production twice. Nagamootoo said that this did not stop Mrs Jagan from attempting to highlight the shortcomings of the country at that time. Eventually the newspaper was restricted to a four-page weekly supplement.
He said that the late Editor emphasized truth, and would not carry articles that were not verified. He said that whenever she was vetting a story and there was something unclear, she would ask the journalist to double check it. One of her moots was that “a journalist should never knowingly tell a lie.”
As time progressed, he related, Mrs Jagan ensured that the paper did not focus only on political issues but on other subjects as well. Consequently, she ensured that the newspaper included a Sports Section and a Youth page, while she herself contributed to the Women’s Page. All this was done, said Nagamootoo, to ensure that the public had access to a balanced paper, one that was not only “educational but entertaining.”
He recalled that during this time, the Mirror became “the incubator” of the Union of Guyanese Journalists of which Jagan became President and which allowed her to forge contacts with other bodies such as the Caribbean Media Workers Association, the Latin American Federation of Journalists and the International Organization of Journalists.
Jagan used her links to highlight the issues that were affecting local media houses and journalists who were feeling the wrath of the then administration, Nagamootoo said.
Even after she gave up the post of Editor of the Mirror, Mrs Jagan was still integrally involved with the newspaper and would contribute a regular column. This continued even until the time of her death.
Nagamooto said that one of the more interesting facts was that she never used a computer and would do all her work on an old-fashioned typewriter. Even when she was presented with a computer, she returned it a few days later. He said that Mrs Jagan was very proficient on the typewriter and remained so up to the end.
Meantime, the former Minister said Mrs Jagan’s love for journalism was most likely linked to her love of books and her thirst for knowledge. He said that her passion for journalism started at a very young age when she was in the US, and served as a proof reader of a medical journal.
Meanwhile, Mrs Jagan was also actively involved in Thunder, which was the party’s official organ launched in 1950. She was the present editor of this quarterly production. Nagamootoo opined that this was the only reason why it still existed. He himself is a member of the editorial board.
Meanwhile Speaker of the National Assembly and former editor of the Thunder Ralph Ramkarran told this newspaper that Mrs Jagan served as Editor of this publication for several years in the 1950s and later returned to the post in 2001 when he gave it up.
He said that in spite of her advancing years and physical limitations, Mrs Jagan was able to ensure that the publication was “an educative journal for both the party members and the general public.” Ramkarran, who is also a member of the editorial board, said that Mrs Jagan was in the midst of putting together this quarter’s edition when she died.
