JANET JAGAN
By Michael Alexander
Caricom Regional Youth Ambassador
Regional Youth Ambassador Program
cryap2002@hotmail.com
http://www.caricom.org
Newsday
July 15, 2002
Page 27
Born in Chicago, Illinois, USA on October 20, 1920, she was educated at the University of Detroit; Wayne University; Michigan State College and Cook County School of Nursing. She was instrumental in the formation of a Women's Political and Economic Organization in 1946 and co-founder of the Political Affairs Committee that was the forerunner to the People's Progressive party (PPP). In 1950 she became a cofounder of the PPP.
She entered the House of Assembly for the first time in 1953, when she was elected Deputy Speaker. By 1963/64 she was serving as Minister of Home Affairs and Senator. She quit as Home Affairs Minister declaring non-cooperation from the then British-controlled Police Force, and subversion of her government. She was to return to parliament at successive elections in 1973, 1980, 1985, 1992 and 1997.
She became First Lady of the Republic with her husband's inauguration as Executive President in October 1997, and then served for a period as Guyana's Ambassador to the United Nations. In March 1997 after President Jagan died, she became the country's first woman Prime Minister and First Vice-President. On December 19, 1997, she was sworn in as President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. She is the recipient of the country's highest honour, Order of Excellence (OE) and also the Woman of Achievement award from the University of Guyana.