Satyadeow Sawh
Encyclopedia
Satyadeow Sawh (June 13, 1955 – April 22, 2006) was the Agriculture Minister of Guyana
and prominent Hindu politician in Guyana
. He also served, at various times as ambassador to: Colombia
, Venezuela
, and Ecuador
.
Satyadeow Sawh (known popularly as "Sash") was born in Central Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, Guyana in 1955. He was the last of nine children to his father, a rice farmer and businessman, and mother, a home-maker. He attended the Indian Education Trust College (later the Richard Ishmael Secondary School), where he sat the GCE O-levels and the College of Preceptors examinations. At 18, he migrated to Ontario, Canada, where he worked and pursued a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from York University
. He married in 1982, and had two sons.
While in Canada he was vibrant in the Association of Concerned Guyanese, a political group promoting change in Guyana. He held the presidency of the group for many years. In 1993, he was appointed Guyana's ambassador to Venezuela
. He served in the post for 3 years and was awarded the country's second highest honor, the Order of Francisco de Miranda (First Class) upon completion of his tenure. In 1996, he was recalled to Guyana by the late President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan
, to serve as a minister within the Ministry of Agriculture. He became the Minister of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, with responsibility for Forestry, and was later named the acting Minister of Agriculture, the designation which he held up to his death.
On April 22nd, 2006, Sash Sawh, his sister (Phulmattie Persaud), brother (Rajpat Rai Sawh), and security guard (Curtis Robertson) were killed in an attack on Sawh's home in LBI on the East Coast of Demerara. His death lead to wide outpouring of support for his family, amidst anger, fear and mourning among Guyanese both home and abroad.
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
and prominent Hindu politician in Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
. He also served, at various times as ambassador to: Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, and Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
.
Satyadeow Sawh (known popularly as "Sash") was born in Central Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, Guyana in 1955. He was the last of nine children to his father, a rice farmer and businessman, and mother, a home-maker. He attended the Indian Education Trust College (later the Richard Ishmael Secondary School), where he sat the GCE O-levels and the College of Preceptors examinations. At 18, he migrated to Ontario, Canada, where he worked and pursued a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
. He married in 1982, and had two sons.
While in Canada he was vibrant in the Association of Concerned Guyanese, a political group promoting change in Guyana. He held the presidency of the group for many years. In 1993, he was appointed Guyana's ambassador to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. He served in the post for 3 years and was awarded the country's second highest honor, the Order of Francisco de Miranda (First Class) upon completion of his tenure. In 1996, he was recalled to Guyana by the late President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan
Cheddi Jagan
Cheddi Berret Jagan was a Guyanese politician who was first elected Chief Minister in 1953 and later Premier of British Guiana from 1961 to 1964, prior to independence. He later served as President of Guyana from 1992 to 1997.- Biography :The son of ethnic Indian sugar plantation workers, Jagan...
, to serve as a minister within the Ministry of Agriculture. He became the Minister of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, with responsibility for Forestry, and was later named the acting Minister of Agriculture, the designation which he held up to his death.
On April 22nd, 2006, Sash Sawh, his sister (Phulmattie Persaud), brother (Rajpat Rai Sawh), and security guard (Curtis Robertson) were killed in an attack on Sawh's home in LBI on the East Coast of Demerara. His death lead to wide outpouring of support for his family, amidst anger, fear and mourning among Guyanese both home and abroad.