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Guyana’s first president Arthur Chung dies

Guyana’s first president, Raymond Arthur Chung, OE, died at his Bel Air Springs home yesterday at 12.45 pm from multiple medical complications, his wife Mrs Doreen Chung said. He was 90 years old.

The former president, who was the country’s first Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Services, had been in and out of hospital over the past two months. He returned home from the hospital last Friday.

Mrs Chung told Stabroek News that two medical doctors and the nurse, who were caring for him over the past year, were with him at the time of his death.

Shortly before he died, she said, he was preparing to have a meal of soup and she had teasingly told him not to give the nurse a hard time. He said nothing but looked at her. “I wasn’t even thinking about death. I left to take a shower,” she said adding that was the last time she saw him alive because by the time she returned he had died. “I felt that he purposely did not want me with him when he died,” she said.
They had been married for 54 years, she said.

Contacted for a comment on his death, both PNCR Leader Robert Corbin and PPP/C General Secretary Donald Ramotar expressed their parties’ condolences to his family members, relatives and friends.

Corbin said Chung had been a beacon of hope having been Guyana’s first President at a time when much healing was necessary coming after the struggle for independence which was mixed with ethnic tensions.

He would be remembered in the annals of the country’s history.

Ramotar said Chung made his mark on Guyana and had the great distinction of being the country’s first Guyanese Head of State, which was basically a ceremonial position since the real power was in the hands of the Head of Government, who at the time was Forbes Burnham.

It is expected that, the Office of the President, would be making preparations for the funeral which is expected to be arranged once key family members would have arrived.

The former president leaves to mourn his wife, two children - Diane Pamela and Raymond Arthur (Jnr) who live in England and are expected to be home shortly. He is also survived by five grandchildren.

Chung was born in January 1916 at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara and had his early education at Windsor Forest and Blankenburg and his secondary education at Modern High School.

He began his working career as an apprentice surveyor and was later a sworn land surveyor. In the early 1940s he entered the Middle Temple of London, England and qualified in 1947. He returned to Guyana in 1948. In 1953, he was appointed an acting magistrate. In 1954, he was appointed a magistrate and in 1960, he became a senior magistrate. He subsequently served as Registrar of Deeds and of the Supreme Court, then a puisne judge and finally a judge in the Appeal Court in 1963.

It is on record that he once broke a 78-year-old practice by ruling that the Director of Public Prosecutions had no jurisdiction to compel a magistrate to convict a person.

In another case, he ruled in favour of the Attorney General against one Cecile Nobrega, but the Full Court of Appeal reversed the decision on an appeal by Nobrega. However, the Attorney General took the case to the Privy Council, which upheld Chung’s original decision.

His last case dealt with the murder trial which arose from the attempted secession in the Rupununi in January, 1969. Three of the accused were ordered to stand trial for murder and seven others were set free.

He became Guyana first President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on March 17, 1970 and was President until October 6, 1980.

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24 Responses to “Guyana’s first president Arthur Chung dies”

MSSH
on June 24th, 2008 6:54 am

yOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED. RIP

[Reply to this]
amen-ra
on June 24th, 2008 7:12 am

My condolences goes out to the chung’s family on your time of bereavement. Arthur you served your country well.

[Reply to this]
ankoko
on June 24th, 2008 8:52 am

Sincere condolences to the Chung family and the National family on the passing of yet another Guyanese stalwart.
May he always be remembered for his stellar contributions to the Guyanese Nation.

[Reply to this]
rdman
on June 24th, 2008 9:36 am

The man who outlasted Cheddi,Burnham and Hoyte.R.I.P mr.Chung.

[Reply to this]
SOESDYKE
In reply to the above comment on June 24th, 2008 3:46 pm:
You are so right, he was the last of the Great ones R.I.P Son of Guyana.

[Reply to this]
justice4allguyana
on June 24th, 2008 10:02 am

Guyana has lost a Stalwart. RIP Mr. Chung

[Reply to this]
cochore
on June 24th, 2008 12:35 pm

I remember Justice Arthur Chung, I was a teenager at the time and wondered why Burnham, as Prime Minister made him, Arthur Chung, Governor General then President of Guyana. At the time, everybody knew that Burnham loved being the big dog in the house so why did he appoint somebody outside of the political party system to be Commander-in-Chief. Might I be a bit suspicious here by suggesting that this was one of Burnham’s clever ploy at statesmanship….. We can say a lot of bad things about Burnham and his administration when it comes to politics and governing Guyana, however, this was one thing we must all agree that they got right. Arthur Chung was the right man at the correct time in Guyana’s history for the job of Commander-in-Chief and he served the country well. Today my prayers are with the Chung family.

[Reply to this]
Ricky
In reply to the above comment on June 24th, 2008 3:58 pm:
Arthur Chung’s Presidency was that of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Republic of the Commonwealth of Dominica. These are ceremonial according to the Constitution - muh like a Governor General - Being the Head of State and the Prime Minister Head of Government.

The Constitution had be be amended to accomodate an Executive President who would then become the Head of State with Veto Power. This is where Forbes had the system changed.

Didn’t enjoyed it? What about Cheddi, and Janet and Bharrat and those to follow.

Thank for President Chung’s work. I have prayed him well a few week a ago when he was sick. Now he is dead I pray God his widow and family be stregthened.

[Reply to this]
ishmael
on June 24th, 2008 12:41 pm

Funny the Late President Burnham made Mr. Chung the first President of Guyana and yet there is no mention of that.

[Reply to this]
mackydog
In reply to the above comment on June 24th, 2008 1:14 pm:
So who cares that Burnham made Arthur Chung the first President of Guyana, Burnham ended up bullying Chung for the same Presidency anyway. Which is important here, how Chung became President or how he was ousted by Burnham. He outlived them all…except Hammie.

[Reply to this]
kmatt
on June 24th, 2008 1:53 pm

Mackydog

Arthur Chung served the country far better than the current admisinistration.. What Arthur Chung accomplished in his years in office, far out ways what the PPP has accomplished in 16 years..

[Reply to this]
mackydog
In reply to the above comment on June 24th, 2008 6:27 pm:
Yes he served well, but I won’t compare his tenure with that of the past PNC nor PPP, there’re all different times and circumstances for the parties. Mr. Arthur Chung was “old school” in his manner of doing things, with pride and honor to his country and people. The PNC leadership after Mr. Chung was nothing like Mr. Chung, they were their “own school” and did EVERYTHING their way without any concern for their people except themselves, and as for honor, “that does not exist in “own school” PNC politics. Hammie is a living example that is still around today… how is our City??? Ask Hammie, or think about the answer.
As for the present PPP government, this is a different time and I may dare say…the poor fellas, having a double task at government to provide a better and more comfortable life to suit the times of this century for our people at the same time fighting off “own school” political tremours. I always say, we could always do so much more without the PNC.
May Mr. Arthur Chung Rest in Peace. My sympathy to his berievev widow.

[Reply to this]
gap1
on June 24th, 2008 3:24 pm

Arthur Chung has turned out to be the most respected and respectable Head of State Guyana has ever had. He is truly loved by Guyanese.

I feel for the Chung family in their time of grief, and even though a lost is a lost and no one can replace him, be proud of him and his legacy. He was a good man and is now in a good place.

God bless him!

[Reply to this]
timeless
on June 24th, 2008 6:44 pm

an outstanding example of what a guyanese leader should be. he will rest in peace.

[Reply to this]
malaika06
on June 24th, 2008 9:27 pm

Sorry

I do not mean to be disrespectful to the departed gentleman, but can someone enlighten me as to what tangible legacy President Arthur Chung has left Guyana?

[Reply to this]
bluegrass
on June 24th, 2008 9:49 pm

he was nothing more than a yo-yo president.[in that capacity only---yo-yo]

[Reply to this]
mackydog
In reply to the above comment on June 24th, 2008 11:50 pm:
yep, i totally agree with you.

[Reply to this]
Katyana
In reply to the above comment on June 25th, 2008 9:30 am:
I disagree with you both you should have some respect for the gentleman. You need to read up on your guyanese history more to see what impact he had on Guyana.

[Reply to this]
Katyana
In reply to the above comment on June 25th, 2008 9:34 am:
I disagree with you. Have some respect for the gentleman. You need to read up on your Guyanese history more to see what impact he had on Guyana. May he R.I.P

[Reply to this]
malaika06
In reply to the above comment on June 25th, 2008 4:58 pm:
Please, I’m very serious. I need someone to tell me what IMPACT Arthur Chung, as the first ever President of post colonial Guyana, has left. What is his LEGACY????

Waiting….

Waiting…..

Waiting…..

A paragraph or two would suffice.

Thank you
Katyana
on June 25th, 2008 9:26 am

Aurthur Chung will always be in our hearts. He is one of the greats!!!

[Reply to this]
bgsbny
on June 25th, 2008 10:16 am

…….. aside from being a “rubber stamp”,,, the fact that he accepted the figured he he was ,, — dat an no mo’ — made him an accessory to the illegality that was de govt of the burnham ,, green an de aders,, ah tink in de legal circles it’s called
” guilty by association “,, is there any one out there who thinks he knew not of the
corruption that is de pnc ???????????

[Reply to this]
bgsbny
on June 25th, 2008 10:18 am

….. as an after thought ,,,, it’s simply overwhelming to see how many of you behave like the ostrich……

[Reply to this]
Luke
on October 2nd, 2008 9:32 pm

Long live Arthur! (immortality)

[Reply to this]