With a dark cloud hanging overhead and with sadness filling the air at the Babu John Crematorium at Port Mourant, Corentyne, the late President of Guyana, Mrs Janet Jagan was given a fittingly ceremonial send-off.
Her remains were cremated on a pyre lit by her children Cheddi Jagan Jr. and Nadira Jagan-Brancier as thousands from all across Berbice and around the country turned out to say farewell to the woman who was described as a “freedom fighter.”
The casket bearing her body, draped with the Guyana flag arrived at around 2 pm on an open-tray truck and went straight to the pyre because of the threatening weather.
Final tributes were then given by her two granddaughters, her son Dr. Cheddi “Joey” Jagan Jr. as well by President Bharrat Jagdeo and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Donald Ramotar.
Heavy downpours earlier in the day did not prevent persons from attending.
While many saw the late Mrs Jagan “as a revolutionary leader and a mother for Guyana” her granddaughters, in their emotional tributes recalled that she was “first and foremost” their grandmother.
Jagan Jr. thanked the leadership of the party, foreign dignitaries and the general public for the support given to his family and “for this lady who gave her all for Guyana.”
He was also grateful to the president for building the Berbice River Bridge and for getting them there quickly.
According to him, “the contribution that she had made and the end of that fire cannot be matched – 65 years of service is like a world record. No one can beat that…
President Bharrat Jagdeo recalled that a month ago they had gathered at Babu John to pay tribute to her late husband, Dr. Cheddi Jagan and that that they had met again for a sad occasion to say farewell to her.
He said that the people who go to the site “year after year” do so “out of love” to pay tribute to Dr. Jagan and that they would also be doing the same for Mrs. Jagan.
According to him, “In the last couple of days if you look at the newspapers and you listen to the analysts you would feel that our party would implode and our party doesn’t have a Jagan as a leadership… now that’s not true.”
However, he said they have the ideals and the principles and that “although they are not there in living flesh they would continue to guide this party long into the future. And we have to make sure that their legacy doesn’t fall by the wayside.”
He said “Jagan gave more than 50 years of her life in service to this nation” and asked the gathering what they were prepared to give “so that her memories and the memories of Cheddi Jagan remains ever-green.”
He also asked persons if they would ensure that their children understand the difficulties the Jagans endured in the colonial period, in opposition and under the dictatorship.
He said the party is not perfect but it is Cheddi and Janet’s party and it would grow from “strength to strength guided by the ideals of these wonderful people, these extraordinary people. We would never allow this ideal to disappear.”
According to Jagdeo, the Jagans “built their party beyond personality; they built it on principle and the PPP today will be moving forward and would continue to serve the people of this country so the legacy of Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan lives on.”
He also commented that silent respect should be paid to the Jagans but called on persons to join in the enterprise of nation building which was started by the Jagans and make sure that it is moved forward.
He said the party would not allow races, religion or class to matter and that it would be open to all Guyanese.
He remarked that leader of the opposition, Robert Corbin had said that they can now “work for national unity; that’s wrong by implication because our party when it started… was always for national unity.”
According to him “this national unity is not based on threat or violence or bullyism” but on decency and principles… and “would continue to struggle for that as we go forward.”
General Secretary of the PPP, Donald Ramotar in his tribute said that Janet Jagan “left one of the richest countries of the world and came to a third world country.”
He recalled that she dedicated herself to the struggles and never looked back; she achieved a lot under tremendous odds. He said too that she was very close to the working people and strove to ensure that their quality of life would improve.
“Her main aim,” he said, “was the liberation of people from oppression.” He also described her as a “powerful journalist” who expressed views on topical issues both local and international.
