NY cultural promoter hailed for his contribution to the Diaspora

Dear Editor,

Former New York-based businessman and cultural promoter Mohan Jaikaran has passed away in Trinidad. Mohan, as we called him, pioneered cultural programs in NY for the benefit of the Caribbean diaspora including Guyanese of both major races.

He was a community builder and a promoter of local talent (NY and Caribbean) and culture. He also organized entertainment in Guyana during the 1990s and his TV station in Trinidad hosted Guyanese entertainers and politicians. His untimely passing is a significant loss to the media fraternity and entertainment in Trinidad and Caribbean diaspora in North America.

I remember him fondly for his willingness to make his NY entertainment club available for our political activities, especially during the difficult years when we struggled for the restoration of democratic rule when few were willing to be associated with our struggle against the PNC dictatorship.

Mohan, as we called him, played a significant role in helping to build the Indo-Caribbean community in Queens by promoting Indian culture that served as a bond to hold immigrants together. He also hosted Afro entertainers from Guyana and Trinidad at concerts.

His many concerts around the city and in Toronto and Orlando featured both Indian and Afro artistes, though his patrons were mostly Indians.

Mohan made an important contribution to the politics of Trinidad and Guyana by making his cultural club in Queens available for public meetings and fundraisers for the democratic struggle back home.

Basdeo Panday, Cheddi Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo all appeared at his club for public meetings. His club also served as a political gathering for meetings by Winston Dookeran, Ramesh Maharaj, and several other politicians. Meetings were packed to capacity when Bas and Jagan spoke.

Mohan   would be remembered most for being an engaging cultural promoter, club owner, and radio broadcaster in NY and a TV and radio broadcaster in Trinidad. He worked long hours at his club and at his stations in Trinidad until recently when health began to take its toll on him reducing his working hours.

In Trinidad, he supported Kamla Persad Bissessar in her leadership challenge of Basdeo Panday in January 2010. After she won the general elections in May 2010, Mohan was rewarded with the Vice Chair of Caribbean Airlines, an area in which he wanted to serve.

He visited Guyana several times in that capacity to improve CAL’s service; meeting travel agents, customers, and government officials. He also advocated for CAL’s sponsorship of Guyanese cultural programs in Guyana and in NY.

Mohan lived a simple life. I penned several articles about his entertainment club and on his cultural activities.   He was passionate about promoting local artistes and several of them from Trinidad and Guyana owed their career to him.

He was also committed and dedicated to people and promoted several activities without charge on his TV station.

Mohan Jaikaran will be sorely missed for his contribution to culture and broadcasting journalism.

Vishnu Bisram