"Agi"

RAMJATTAN   RAMDEEN (aka John Agitation) DATE OF BIRTH: July 24, 1927 PLACE OF BIRTH: Caratal, Trinidad EDUCATION: Progressive Educational Institute CAREER:                                 Ramjattan's career as a standup comedian began in 1951 when he was introduced to the audience by fellow-comedian Landy de Montbrun at the Queen's Park Oval and thereby became one of the first non-White comedians to perform at the Oval. He received a very enthusiastic response and his career took off. Ramjattan performed under the name John Agitation which he took from a character in a script he had written for a church bazaar. He remained a popular comedian from the 1950s while holding a full-time job with the T&T civil service. He was the first comedian in the Commonwealth of Nations to win an election when he won a 1989 by-election in the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation for the Guaico-Cumuto district. Agitation was a regular on Radio Trinidad, particularly the Horace James Comedy Hour, Sunday Serenade (hosted by Sam Ghany), and the Aunty Kay Children's Show. When he was not performing, Ramjattan spent his time as a citrus farmer cultivating ten acres of land in Cumuto. AWARD: 2003 - Trinidad and Tobago Hummingbird Medal Silver DIED: February 5, 2018, at the Sangre Grande Hospital in Trinidad, after an extended illness. Compiled by Ronald C. Emrit