[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1979GEORGE00069_e.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01
GEORGE 00069 081915Z
ACTION L-03
INFO OCT-01 ARA-15 ISO-00 SCS-06 CA-01 TRSE-00 SS-15 NSCE-00 H-02 HA-05 JUSE-00 SSO-00 /048 W
——————097543 081917Z /64
O 081855Z JAN 79
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8660
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 0069
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO: JIM HERGIN, DEPT. OF JUSTICE WASHDC
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CASC, GY (PEOPLE’S TEMPLE)
SUBJ: PEOPLE’S TEMPLE BANK ACCOUNTS IN GUYANA
REF: GEORGETOWN 4432
THE EMBASSY HAS JUST RECEIVED REPLY FROM THE GOVERNOR OF THE BANK OF GUYANA RESPONDING TO OUR LETTER INQUIRYING ABOUT PEOPLES’S TEMPLE BANK ACCOUNTS. THE COMPLETE TEXT OF THE LETTER FOLLOWS:
“DEAR SIR,
PLEASE REFERE TO YOUR LETTER OF THE 13TH DECEMBER, 1978, REGARDING BANK ACCOUNTS OF THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE OR ITS DECEASED MEMBERS. AS A CENTRAL BANK THE BANK OF GUYANA ONLY OPERATES ACCOUNTS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OR ITS ENTITIES AND THE COMMERCIAL BANKS. OUR REPLY TO YOUR QUERY RE ACCOUNTS OF THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE OR ITS MEMBERS AT THE BANK IS THEREFORE IN THE NEGATIVE. ON THE 16TH DECEMBER, 1977, THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE FOR THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST INVESTED IN TREASURY BILLS TO THE BALUE OF G$1.0 MILLION. TO DATE THESE BILLS HAVE NOT BEEN REDEEMED BUT UNDER A STANDING ORDER THE PROCEEDS ARE RE-INVESTED ON MATURITY. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT FURTHER ENQUIRIES ON THIS SUBJECT BE
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ADDRESSED THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
YOUR FAITHFULLY,
PATRICK E. MATTHEWS GOVERNOR”
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
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