Guyana Vice President Bharrat responded to the challenge from Hamilton Green and provided published evidence that Green’s leader and founder of the People’s National Congress (PNC), Forbes Burnham, was on the payroll of the CIA back in the 1960’s.
The below was uplifted from another site as written by Ronald Singh.
Jagdeo was responding to a challenge by Hamilton Greene, who served as Prime Minister under Burnham, to produce the evidence that Burnham was on in the pocket of the intellegence agency.
In declassified documents released by the US government, “Memorandun for the 303 Committee, Washington, May 23, 1969“, Burnham sought financial assistance from the CIA for the PNC. He sought a sum of USD10,000 per month, but was given USD5,000 instead for two years.
According to the document, “Prime Minister Forbes Burnham of Guyana, who has previously received covert assistance from CIA, requested that the Agency provide $10,000 a month for two years to support his efforts to build his party, the People’s National Congress (PNC), into an effective, permanently organized political party. Ambassador Delmar Carlson [text not declassified] recommend approval of this request in the amount of $5,000 per month for two years, with the understanding that Burnham be aware that the subsidy would be reviewed at the end of the first year and could be terminated if the PNC had not made satisfactory progress. Burnham has been told that we are seeking policy approval for the $5,000 monthly subsidy.
Assistant Secretary Charles Meyer concurs in this proposal.”
Burnham wanted to strengthen the PNC to a well-organized party that can continue to serve as a bulwark against Cheddi Jagan’s accession to power in Guyana.
The US government in 1962 didn’t want Dr. Jagan’s PPP to ascend to power, so the CIA was instructed to intervene and provide support to the PNC to try and keep the PPP out of power. The CIA also provided support to the smaller United Force (UF) in the 1964 elections.
These two parties formed a coalition after the election and took over the government, with Forbes Burnham becoming Prime Minister. New elections were scheduled for December 1968 and, as a result of a 303 Committee decision of 7 April 1967, CIA was again instructed to support the PNC and the UF. In the 1968 elections the PNC used its control of the government to pad the electoral rolls and win a slim majority of the vote. The official results gave the PNC 30 seats in the legislative assembly, the People’s Progressive Party (Jagan’s party) 19 seats and the UF 4 seats. Leaders of the PPP and the UF attacked the elections as being dishonest, but their charges had little effect in Guyana and stirred almost no interest abroad.
The document further stated, that in February 1969 Burnham asked for a subsidy of $10,000 a month for two years to help him establish the PNC on a permanent basis. (NOTE: He had made little effort after the 1964 contest to put his party on a permanent footing.) Burnham indicated he would use this subsidy to maintain a small corps of paid PNC organizers, to keep open essential sections of the central party office, and to continue party information activities as needed.
After considering Burnham’s request, the Ambassador concluded that a subsidy was desirable and $5,000 per month for two years would adequately meet the PNC’s requirements. In addition, recommended it be agreed with Burnham that the subsidy would be reviewed after one year and could be terminated if the PNC had not made satisfactory progress toward establishing permanent party machinery. The Special Group granted approval for CIA to provide financial support in 1962 and 1963 and CIA was instructed to support the UF and the PNC in the 1964 elections. On 7 April 1967 the 303 Committee approved a proposal to support the UF and the PNC again for the 1968 elections. Subsequent progress reports described in detail the successful action taken by CIA under this decision.
There is no evidence to indicate that Burnham has made any significant inroads into the East Indian electorate so far. If present population and voting trends continue, Burnham would lose to Jagan in an honest election. Thus one should look at this subsidy as a means of improving the PNC’s ability to turn out all possible pro-Burnham votes.
By Ronald Singh.
