[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1979GEORGE00449_e.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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GEORGE 00449 291823Z
ACTION ARA-15 INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-05 H-01 INR-10 L-03 NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-01 SP-02 SS-15 ICA-11 SSC-01 IO-14 /084 W
——————106388 291826Z /44
P 291745Z JAN 79
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8855
C O N F I D E N T I A L GEORGETOWN 0449
E.O. 12065: GDS 1/29/85 (DWYER, RICHARD A.) OR-M
TAGS:
SUJB: GUYANESE DIPLOMATIC RESHUFFLING: FUTURE OF GUYANESE AMBASSADOR TO WASHINGTON IN DOUBT CONFIDENTIAL ENTIRE TEST
1. ACCORDING TO A RELIABLE SOURCE PRESENT AT THE CONFERENCE OF GUYANESE AMBASSADORS WHICH CONCLUDED JAN 22, PRIME MINISTER BURNHAM ANNOUNCED THAT THERE WOULD BE A GENERAL RESHUFFLING OF GUYANESE AMBASSADORS AND PRINCIPAL OFFICERS IN THE NEAR FUTURE, SOME, HE IS SAID TO HAVE ANNOUNCED, WOULD BE BROUGHT HOME AND TRANSFERRED, OTHERS WOULD BE BROUGHT HOME TO STAY. CONSIDERABLE CONCERN WAS GENERATED BY THE PRIME MINISTER’S REMARKS, PARTICULARLY AS IT WAS ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT THE AMBASSADORS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SPEND TWO TO THREE WEEKS IN GUYANA TO ACQUAINT THEMSELVES WITH GUYANESE PROBLEMS AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. A SECOND PURPOSE OF THE PROLONGED GUYANESE VISIT IS SAID TO BE THE DESIRE OF THE PRIME MINISTER TO HAVE HIS AMBASSADORS TELL THE GUYANESE POPULACE AT LARGE OF THE PROBLEMS OTHER NATIONS ARE ENCOUNTERING, THEREBY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT GUYANA’S PROBLEMS ARE NOT UNIQUE.
2. RUMORS OF AMBASSADORIAL CHANGE HAVE OFTEN CENTERED RECENTLY ON GUYANA’S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATION,
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LAWRENCE [Laurence] MANN, WHO HAS RECEIVED SOME NOTORIETY IN THE AMERICAN PRESS FOR HIS ALLEGEDLY CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONS WITH SOME MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLES’ TEMPLE. THE RUMORS HAVE NOT BEEN SUBSTANTIATED TO THE EMBASSY DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OR THE GOG ALTHOUGH OFFICIALS HAVE COMMENTED ON THE AMBASSADOR’S PROBLEMS. THE RUMORS INDICATE THAT AMBASSADOR MANN WILL BECOME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GUYSTAC, A GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, AND THAT MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SERIVE PERMANENT SECRETARY CECIL DOUGLAS MAY BE NOMINATED TO REPLACE HIM IN WASHINGTON. AS THE PRIME MINISTER IS IN CHARGE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE, DOUGLAS REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE PRIME MINISTER. AS THE SENIOR PERMANENT SECRETARY IN THE GOVERNMENT, THE PUBLIC SERVICE PERMANENT SECRETARY ALSO IS THE SPOKESMAN FOR HIS COLLEAGUES. DOUGLAS IS REPORTED TH HAVE BEEN COUNSELOR OF THE GUYANESE EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON SHORTLY AFTER GUYANEA BECAME INDEPENDENT.
3. AMERICAN JOURNALISTS STILL IN GEORGETOWN HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE MANN STORY WITH INTEREST. THE SAN FORANCISCO “EXAMINER” IS EXPECTED TO RUN A STORY ON AMBASSADOR MANN TODAY OR IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
DWYER [Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Richard Dwyer]
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