Dear Editor,
Mr Vishnu Bisram, the pollster, continues to put his credibility at stake by the letters he writes. I refer to his letter in Stabroek News, March 20, 2007, captioned “Some who criticised Jagan now praise him,” and the continuous erroneous documentation of our history. It is one thing to be enamoured with Dr Cheddi Jagan but another thing when such emotive feelings would lead to the deliberate falsification of Guyana’s history.
Contrary to Mr Bisram’s claim, Dr Cheddi Jagan was not “the architect of the anti-colonial movement.” When the anti-colonial struggles started Dr Jagan was not even born. Full emancipation came in 1838, and from that day onwards persons continued to struggle for their empowerment and right to self-governance. This was a feat that was attempted by Cuffy since 1763. While there may be many contentions as to the defining moments for the anti-colonial struggles, many persons preceded Dr Jagan. Notable among them was Mr Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow. Dr Jagan was born on March 22, 1918. Mr HN Critchlow formed the British Guiana Labour Union in 1919 and used the movement as a platform in his struggles against colonialism, inequality, oppression and exploitation. The trade union movement was the base for political agitation and anti colonial struggles. It was during Mr Critchlow’s era that the struggles for universal adult suffrage began. This was a critical precursor for mass voting, people’s power and the toppling of colonial rule. During this architectural (founder/designer/builder/prime mover) phase Dr Jagan was still in diapers or short pants.
Yes, Dr. Jagan played a leading role in the anti-colonial struggle and due credit must be accorded. But by no stretch of the human imagination and timeline could he have been “the architect of the anti-colonial movement.”
As to the “founding father of the nation”, the credit, again, cannot be given to Dr Jagan. Dr Jagan cannot be the founding father of the nation Guyana because the Amerindian community predated him. Dr Jagan cannot be the founding father of sovereign independent/ republican Guyana because Mr Burnham and Mr Arthur Chung were the top government officials. Dr Jagan cannot be the founding father of the nation’s head on struggles with the colonial authorities in the 20th century, because Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow predated him. Dr Jagan cannot be the founding father of Indian political involvement, because the Luckhoos, Ayube Edun and others predated him.
Yours faithfully,
M A Bacchus
