Dear Editor,

I refer to a letter in your July 7, 2008 edition titled ‘Jagan’s Legacy is being shunted aside.’ As the Administrator of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre, I can say that the legacy of Dr Jagan is alive and well. It lives on in the vibrancy of the party he worked all his life to establish. The centre has played a part in preserving his thoughts and vision and among its strongest supporters stands the President of Guyana, the General Secretary of the party and prominent members of both the party and its civic component, especially the Prime Minister.

These individuals are loyal to the memory of Dr Jagan. I have attended many meetings, book launches, annual memorial services in Berbice, social events like the State House and Red House functions where the party leaders, especially the President,always say,“this is Cheddi Jagan’s party and we will always stand firm and uphold the principles of Dr Jagan.

I enclose a copy of a letter dated November 1, 2007 [provided] expressing our appreciation for the support of the President on behalf of the Management Committee of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre. The President has a unique way of putting Dr Jagan’s ideas and projects into perspective and relating them to current events, thus demonstrating the timelessness of those ideas, especially the call for a New Global Human Order. He addressed us also on the idea of debt relief which was laughed at when Cheddi first proposed debt write-offs, and which now has taken a leading place in world developmental financing. The list goes on and the support of Jagan’s party and legacy continues.

The writer of the letter must be excused for his lack of knowledge of these facts as he may not be in the forefront of these organized efforts to preserve the work of Dr Jagan which is led by the former President, Mrs Janet Jagan, and her management committee as well as leading party members.

The other explanation is that he is aware but is up to no good, as the method he chooses to ventilate his opinion is certainly not in keeping with party discipline or Dr Jagan’s legacy.

Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Sattaur
Administrator
Cheddi Jagan Research Centre