MARCH 6.... A SIGNIFICANT DAY

MARCH 6…. A SIGNIFICANT DAY

Mar 05, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
March 6 is a significant date – it is a date when two heads of Government in the Caribbean died and the date when the first African state gained independence from Britain.
Guyana’s President Dr. Cheddi Jagan passed away at the Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D,C on March 6, 1997 and later the same day Michael Manley former Prime Minister of Jamaica succumbed to cancer. Both of these leaders were socialists and were close to Cuba’s President, Fidel Castro.
Dr. Jagan was considered father of the nation, having served as Chief Minister, and Premier of British Guiana, but it was Forbes Burnham who was in office when the British granted independence to the land of many waters. Jagan was out of power for 28 long years, but regained power in October 1992 and served as President until his death.
He was born on March 22, 1918 and several organizations will observe his 100th birth anniversary. In fact, the Guyana government will issue a commemorative stamp in his honour.
Cheddi founded the People’s Progressive Party in 1948 and in 1953 his party with stalwarts like Forbes Burnham, Ashton Chase, Sydney King (now Eusi Kwayana) Jai Narain Singh, Martin Carter, Dr. Latchmansingh, and others swept the polls, but 133 days later the British suspended the constitution contended that the PPP was a communist movement. British troops were flown into the country although there was no need for such a move.
A few years later, Burnham who was deputy to Jagan, left the PPP because of leadership and later formed his own party the People’s National Congress (PNC). The PNC later merged with a small right wing party, the United Force and formed the government under a new Proportional Representation electoral system.
Over in Jamaica, Michael Manley, son of Norman Manley, a charismatic leader, later became Prime Minister was known for his socialist policy and his association with Cuba’s Castro, was defeated by right wing leader Edward Seaga, who became Prime Minister. Manley later suffered from cancer and died hours after Dr. Jagan.
The West African state of Ghana, headed by Kwame Nkrumah was the first African state to gain independence on May 6, 1957. Five years later on August 6, 1962 Jamaica, was the first Caribbean country to severe ties with Britain followed by Trinidad and Tobago three weeks later on August 31, 1962. Guyana followed on May 6, 1966 and Barbados on November 30, the same year 1966.
Oscar Ramjeet

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