REMARKS BY THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, HON. ROBERT M. PERSAUD, MBA, MP ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ASSASSINATION OF SATYADEOW SAWH, FORMER MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

 "Doom'd to death, though fated not to die" words of 18^th century poet John Dryden. How applicable they are today. The contributions of Sash Sawh to the Guyanese people shine brightly one year after his demise.

Yesterday, April 22nd, marked the first anniversary of the assassination of Comrade Sash Sawh. In the course of my short tenure as Minister of Agriculture, I have had cause to sometimes travel in the footsteps of my former colleague to various agricultural communities throughout Guyana.

The great admiration and respect people of all persuasions, and even political convictions, have for Sash is incredible and remarkable. This week-end was no different when I travelled to Annai and other villages of the North Rupununi.

In the idyllic and pastoral setting of the Rupununi Savannahs, with the mighty Pakaraimas in the backdrop, I was finally able to enjoy the rare luxury of sitting back and relaxing late that evening. In was in such circumstances that I found myself in contemplation of the life and works of my comrade, Sash Sawh. I marvelled at the effect he seemed to have on farmers. Their gratitude and appreciation for even the little things that he had done to make their lives better seemed amplified but nonetheless genuine. What then was Sash's effect?

And then I recall a song composed by Guyanese Dave Martins and the Tradewinds - "Is we own, is we own." It was at this point that I was open to conjecture. Was Sash's special effect as a result of people being able to closely identify with him? Did they recognise a little bit of themselves in Sash Sawh? Or, a little bit of Sash in themselves?

Satyadeow Sawh was born on June 13, 1955 at Central Mahaicony, the youngest of nine children. His parents were primarily from a farming background but also operated a small business. During the communal riots of 1963 their home and business were destroyed. That resulted in the dislocation of the family which then lived in several parts of Guyana including Berbice and Mahaica.

Initially, Sash attended the Mahaicony Scotts School and later the then Indian Education Trust College (Indians) where, after four years, he wrote the G.C.E. Examinations.

It was at Indians that his natural leadership abilities began to emerge. Following the rigged elections of 1968 there was an acceleration of the systematic violation of human rights and civil liberties; with those teachers and students considered by the oppressive regime to be "enemies of the State", among the major victims of harassment and victimization.

The teenaged Sash joined the teachers organising the protest against the School's Administration which was giving the teachers a raw deal. His Physics teacher at the time was Navin Chandarpal, his later colleague at this Ministry, and who has elsewhere described the importance of Sash's ability to mobilize the students.

As a dynamic young leader in the PYO, Sash knew that he was a marked man. Thus began his years in exile. By the time he moved to Canada the democratic process in Guyana had been completely sabotaged with the army's intervention in the General Elections of 1973. He joined the Association of Concerned Guyanese (ACG) in Canada which grew under his Chairmanship and became very strong. He worked towards making the ACG a strong support group in the diaspora; on which late President Cheddi Jagan heavily relied, and whose activities were fundamental in the struggle for the restoration of democracy.

Abraham Lincoln once said: "the probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just". I am sure, however, that even in those dark days, for Sash there was no possibility of the struggle failing.

In 1993, Sash was appointed Resident Ambassador to Venezuela and also had responsibility for Columbia and Ecuador. On his appointment, the opposition embarked on a vicious campaign to discredit him, claiming that he had given false evidence on a minor court matter. Cheddi Jagan and his comrades stood firm, however, and with time such slander faded away.

As Ambassador he helped to promote cordial relations between Venezuela and Guyana and when he left in 1996 he was honoured with one of Venezuela's highest awards

He was very popular among the Guyanese migrants’ communities and it was through his interventions and personal efforts that systems were put in place for large numbers of undocumented Guyanese nationals to legalize their residency in Venezuela.

When Sash came back to Guyana in 1996 as Minister of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, he quickly became one of the leading members of the Cabinet. He was recognized by all the Presidents, from President Cheddi Jagan to President Jagdeo, as a person who got things done. Sash's responsibilities were also expanded to include the wider Ministry of Agriculture in 2003.

His colleague Ministers of Agriculture in the Caribbean and elsewhere, as well as the Heads of International Agencies, who interacted with, held him high in esteem.

I have been told that at a function at this Ministry, held to observe Sash's 50th birth anniversary, a few months before he was assassinated, in his response to the congratulatory speeches, he reflected on his time in Canada. He recognized that what he had done was necessary but it was done at personal cost. He had deprived his young family of many comforts, and tears had come to his eyes when he spoke. I was not surprised, however, since most of the party colleagues knew Sash to be an emotional and sensitive man.

Sash was a great family man.

His devotion to his ailing mother was instructive to us all. When she became incapacitated he could have put her in a good, safe nursing home in Canada. He however, brought her into his home in Guyana and cared for her for several years until her death. Indeed, it was just days after the events to mark the first death anniversary of his mother that his family, including brother Rajpat and sister Pulmatie (visiting from Canada) and security guard Curtis Robinson were assassinated with him. This devotion to family was a characteristic of the good and caring person that Sash was.

My staff, who worked with Sash previously, can tell you how affected he was by some of the stories told to him at his weekly Friday meetings with members of the public - the story of the farmer whose tractor was repossessed by the Bank, or the widow who was being forced out of her little farm by her in-laws after the death of her husband. And that is what made him special, because the people knew that he loved and cared greatly for them. And that is why they identified with him.

During his years as a Minister, he was deeply engaged in all the areas for which he was responsible and profound policy changes were effected.

He was a strong advocate for the growth of non-traditional agriculture; and Guyana has since become self-sufficient in poultry products and on the verge of becoming an exporter of poultry products.

Sash has also played an exceptional role in gaining International Certification in the local fishing industry. Success in the compliance of the turtle excluding device has ensured that fish exports are guaranteed access to foreign markets.

The New Guyana Marketing Corporation has been revitalised and local entrepreneurs are being prepared to take advantage of the opportunities under the Caribbean Single Market and Economy.

And I can go on and on.......

Satyadeow Sawh is missed by the staff of this Ministry. The entire membership of the People’s Progressive Party in which he served at the highest decision-making level, the Central Committee continue to miss his presence. He never shirked taking on additional responsibilities and co-ordinated for several years, the Cheddi Jagan Commemoration Committee which organises activities throughout the country to celebrate the life and work of his hero Cheddi Jagan. He was also the co-coordinator of the 55th anniversary celebrations of the PPP, the year before he died. In addition to his personality and charisma, he was never lacking in energy and ideas; which is why he may have been assassinated.

A "Martyr" is defined as, "a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle or cause".

The perpetrators of his killing knew that Sash's life set a standard for our youths in Guyana to emulate. That, they could not tolerate and so they took his life away and a martyr was born.

It grieves me that all the perpetrators of this heinous act have not been apprehended and the intellectual authors of this dastardly act have so far eluded justice.

The impact of Sash’s work will be felt in many years to come. And in his memory, the Government and my Ministry is dedicating a new aqua-culture hatchery at Mon Repos which will be constructed in the coming weeks.  

Sash lived his life as though, in Albert Einstein's words, "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile".