Makandal Daaga dies

Saying he would have celebrated his 81st birthday on Saturday, Liseli said Daaga was not well for a few years as he suffered from heart disease and was an epileptic. Liseli said the one thing she wanted the country to remember of Daaga, was his immense love for the people.

“His entire life was dedicated to the struggle. He always said, ‘my people come first’,” she said. Liseli said Daaga worked tirelessly for the people of this country and the wider Caribbean throughout his life.

She said that love was also manifested in simple ways, such as providing help for a child in need. Saying Daaga was “my leader, before my husband”, Liseli said he also had a great love for his community of Laventille and this country’s culture.

She said while many persons encouraged him to leave Laventille, Daaga insisted on staying.

NJAC political leader Kwesi Mutema said the party was deeply saddened at Daaga’s passing.

Mutema described Daaga as an “exceptional leader,” who was very insightful and had “a deep sense of humanity. He said one of the things which impressed him the most about Daaga was his ability to “show care for the smallest person.”

KAMLA MOURNS

In a brief comment on Daaga’s passing, Acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert said, “May he rest in peace and deepest condolences to his family.” Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said, “His long contribution dates back to the pre-Independence era, and in 1962 when he formed the Pegasus party, before later forming the NJAC.

His journey stands as a monument to service, determination and fortitude,” she declared. Persad-Bissessar said Daaga was, “was one of those elders whose advice I always treasured, as one who was already a seasoned veteran by the time I entered politics many years ago.” Persad-Bissessar said it was Daaga’s vision in part, “that saw the rise of the People’s Partnership (PP) and the Fyzabad Accord which saw the first coalition government in our history standing strong for its full term.” She said one of Daaga’s most timeless philosophies was, “the people is the Government” and this was the talk he walked in his long march to political power.

Daaga was appointed as Caricom Cultural Ambassador Extraordinaire, under the PP.

Persad-Bissessar said as a pioneering politician, a social activist, a political elder and a statesman, Daaga will be missed for his, “ forthright wisdom and boundless energy.” Former Congress of the People (COP) political leader Prakash Ramadhar said he was saddened to learn about Daaga’s death. Ramadhar said, “Makandal Daaga was a true instrument of change.” Ramadhar, who is St Augustine MP, recalled that he sought out Daaga when he undertook a fast in 2009 as part of the COP’s “Axe the Tax” campaign against the then People’s National Movement (PNM) government.

HE PUT COUNTRY FIRST

Ramadhar said Daaga’s passing meant that TT has, “lost one of its historic persons.” He said Daaga put country before self and many persons in the political arena today could learn from his example. According to NJAC’s website, Daaga was born in Laventille. His mother was a housewife while his father, Phillip Granger (a former World War I soldier) was a barber, who had a shop on Charlotte Street in Port-of-Spain. Phillip Granger was said to be the mentor of many of the Spiritual Baptist and Orisha leaders of the mid-20th Century.

Daaga got his early education at Belmont Intermediate (now Belmont Secondary) and later at St Mary’s College.

In 1962, he formed an organisation called Pegasus which was reported to have comprised some of the most brilliant, influential and prestigious personalities in TT at the time. Pegasus was the first body to give National Awards. In 1969, as President of the Guild of Undergraduates, he formed NJAC.

On November 26, 1972, at a mass rally at Palms Club, San Fernando, Daaga declared that the ideology of NJAC “is nothing more than the demands of the people”. He continued, “ NJAC’s motivation is nothing more than our love for the people.

And our strength is nothing more than the interaction between our love for the people and the people’s love for their vanguard.” The party mobilized the country for one whole year before the 56 days of demonstrations from February 26, to April 21, 1970. Daaga was imprisoned on four different occasions, between 1970 and 1973.

NJAC said there were more than seven attempts on Daaga’s life. In 1974, he was made leader of the Caribbean Steering Committee for the 6th Pan African Conference that was held in Tanzania.

In 1987 the African Methodist Episcopal Church honoured him during the Church’s 200th Anniversary celebrations.In the same year, the African Methodists Episcopal Church’s University, Morris Brown College, Atlanta offered him an honorary doctorate for his outstanding contribution to the development of consciousness of his people. At one time, NJAC said Daaga was banned from every Caribbean territory except, Guyana.

The party said Daaga is still effectively banned from entering the United States.

Under Daaga’s leadership, NJAC successfully campaigned for August 1 to be recognised as Emancipation Day. This came into being in 1985, under the the PNM administration of Prime Minister George Chambers (now deceased).