Dear Editor,
Now that Red House is on the front burner, let me say I do agree with Dr Joey Jagan, whose views on the subject were reported by iNEWS on January 5. The agency said that Dr Joey Jagan “wants Government excluded from the management of any research centre in honour of his father… [He] described the entire development as ‘cloudy’ and ‘hazy”, noting overall that ‘it is just a strange situation.’” I do agree with Dr Joey Jagan because if Dr Cheddi Jagan was alive he would have never have formed a private company to take over state property for some personal agenda. He would have never allowed the PPP to do it.
Yes the development is “cloudy” and “hazy” because that’s what the PPP has done in gaining the lease of Red House for their personal agenda. They have been using the name of Dr Cheddi over the years and they continue to do so.
Dr Joey Jagan was quoted by iNEWS as saying, “The Government going and ripping down my father’s name and throwing it to the ground, I disagree with that. Things should be handled a different way.” I agree with Dr Joey; the matter could have been handled in a better way. But we must understand that in the first place the property was wrongfully gained by the PPP and they are the ones who have caused this embarrassment. They were ripping off this country through the lease by paying a fee that cannot maintain the building. Who in the world would accept a payment of a $1000 per month to lease a multi-million dollar state property to a private company?
According to iNEWS, Dr Joey Jagan said, “It [Cheddi Jagan Research Institute] should be a privately operated, something in the name of Cheddi Jagan to do research. That shouldn’t be with the Government. Why should the Government be part of everything? I don’t understand that. Government shouldn’t be involved in things like that. That should be done by people who love Cheddi Jagan and who want to give to his name.” I agree again with him that the management of the centre should be undertaken by people who love Cheddi Jagan and who want to give to his name.
If the PPP cared so much for Dr Cheddi Jagan, they would have established a resource centre in Berbice, so that Berbicians could learn of a great leader that belongs there. I was made to understand that they have acquired two plots of land at Bath Settlement for Freedom House, and that land could have been used to build such centre. Since Dr Jagan died, what has the PPP built in the name of Cheddi Jagan that has nothing to do with the state, except the shed and site at Babu John? They had years to build a structure in his name to house such a centre, but they failed to do so. Instead they created Pradoville 1 and 2. They built mansions for themselves and secured a better life.
I do agree with Dr Joey Jagan, the government must not allow itself to manage any privately owned resource centre in the name of any of the former presidents of Guyana. Therefore, I want to call on the Jagan family to take the lead and have Dr Cheddi Jagan’s name truly remembered by heading the entire restructuring of the Cheddi Jagan Research Institute and the Jagan Heritage Home. They should not allow the PPP to use Dr Cheddi Jagan’s name and cause disputes.
Yours faithfully,
Abel Seetaram
APNU+AFC Regional Councillor
Region 5
