Cheddi Jagan Research Centre should be funded by government, and centres set up for Hoyte and Burnham

Dear Editor,

The recent revelations by Minister of State Joseph Harmon of the lease arrangement for Red House by a surrogate PPP organisation to house the Cheddi Jagan Resource Centre and the footing of the bill for staff of the facility by the then PPP government is not only malodorous but scandalous.

No Guyanese can question the significant contribution Dr Jagan made to Guyana, and therefore any institution in his honour should be a national treasure. The same must be done for President Burnham and President Hoyte.

Therefore it is my fervent view that the lease arrangement for this institution must be rescinded forthwith, Red House should be designated a national heritage site and the Cheddi Jagan Resource centre should be given an annual subvention by the government to fund its operations.

Further a presidential taskforce should be established to work with the Burnham Foundation and the H D Hoyte Memorial Committee to establish similar arrangements for these former presidents.

It is time that we as a people begin to cultivate a culture of recognizing and honouring the contributions of our present and past leaders.

Yours faithfully,
Bevon Currie