on July 3. Later in the month, she underwent tests regarding her heart condition at the Akron City Hospital in Akron, Ohio; she was discharged on July 23. Returning to Guyana, she received heart medication and was told that bypass surgery was not necessary. Jagan announced on August 8, 1999, that she was resigning as President because her health meant that she was no longer capable of "vigorous, strong leadership"; she said that Finance Minister Bharrat Jagdeo would be her successor. Jagdeo was sworn in as President on August 11. Despite her resignation, Jagan remained active in the PPP. At the PPP's 29th Congress, Jagan had received the second highest number of votes (671) in the election to the party's Central Committee, held on August 2, 2008. She was then elected to the PPP Executive Committee, in addition to being elected as editor of the PPP paper Thunder, on August 12, 2008. Jagan later left Guyana for Maracaibo, Venezuela for treatment. She later went to Belém, Brazil for additional treatment. Janet Jagan died of an abdominal aneurysm on March 28, 2009, in Georgetown. Her body was cremated on March 31, 2009 in Guyana. Writings Janet Jagan was long involved with the literary and cultural life of Guyana. She published early poems by Martin Carter in Thunder (which she edited) and supported the publication of early Carter collections such as The Hill of Fire Glows Red. She strongly believed that Guyanese children needed books which reflected their own realities. In 1993, Peepal Tree Press published her When Grandpa Cheddi was a Boy and Other Stories, followed by Patricia, the Baby Manatee (1995), Anastasia the Ant-Eater (1997) and The Dog Who Loved Flowers. References Further reading Hinds, David. "Janet Jagan and the Politics of Ethnicity in Guyana" in Cynthia Barrow-Giles.ed. Women in Caribbean Politics, Kingston, Miami: Ian Randle, 2011. , pp. 195–208 Skard, Torild. "Janet Jagan", Women of Power - half a century of female presidents and prime ministers Worldwide, Bristol: Policy Press, 2014. External links Remembering Janet Jagan at Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Council of Women World Leaders (archived) |- 1920 births 2009 deaths 20th-century women rulers Presidents of Guyana Prime Ministers of Guyana Vice presidents of Guyana First ladies of Guyana People's Progressive Party (Guyana) politicians Women presidents Women prime ministers Women government ministers of Guyana Women vice presidents Guyanese women in politics Guyanese women writers Jewish prime ministers Jewish