[Editor’s notes: The transcript of this document retains its original spellings, with corrections noted only where necessary for clarity.
G-1-e-3a
Sharon Amos
USSR Embassy 28/7/78 [July 28, 1978] Sharon A [Amos], Hue F [Fortson]
– told him about the 12 year old young man who needed cornea transplants
– first he thought the child was in our community and said that he didn’t think they could send this child
– he said sometimes they arrange things with the Guyanese government but it has to come through an official procedure. The person govt like [Minister of Home Affairs Vibert] Mingo who knows about it can contact Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can contact the USSR embassy
– the USSR embassy has never had a case like this here
– he said that the airfare would be $1000 (US) one way and the USSR embassy couldn’t pay that
– he said that his ambassador is mad at Guyana anyway because recently they officially presented vacines to Guyana and the cost was a million or so dollars and the govt refused to have anything published about it. The ambassador said that if England or the US give a few schoolbooks it’s put in the papers but this large gift was forbidden to have press. Not that they need publicity but it makes them mad about the gift being refused and the press not being able to publish it
– I showed him pictures of the project. I goofed as I forgot that one of the pictures on the blackboard mentions the PNC and the PPP being the opposition party (nothing negative about it but just shows the PPP word and says opposition party)/ he commented about the words and I explained that the Ministry of Education was visiting and we had to show what we knew about the government
– he made a comment about JJ having trouble with his weight like [Fedor] Timofeyev has also
– talk about Jonestown, more people coming, press visiting etc.
– Hue fell asleep/ I explained that he had been up late picking someone up at the airport (Evelyn is supposed to do that but Hue wanted to do it but it messed up his day. He did sleep after we went to see Bobby but was really wiped out and fell asleep)
– Fedor Timofeyev said not to wake him/ he understood as he often picks up people tho they do go thru VIP he still has to take time. Said tho he doesn’t have the special van like we have/ our van can drive right up and get luggage. I said our luggage call has to go thru inspection but I did mention that Immigration sees so much of us they do know is pretty well and they are often friendly. I mentioned one man is coming to play dominoes in fact with us. (sometimes I think it is good to look like we have some connections as often we look like we are making it all)
– he asked if we were having trouble in this area as he had seen one time where we had a lot of crates come in with our names on it (PT) – I told him that we had that problem of the old English law which gives the advantage to private individuals and their stuff over communal stuff, but I said that Minister Kennard had given a special OK on the swimming pools as they were agriculture not for swimming and that Hamilton Green had made an arrangement to help us with our medical supplies
– told him about Debbie B. [Blakey] saying we were pro-Cuban and pro-Russian and that was the only true thing she said
– he asked about J’s health and asked what was wrong. I told him we had written a detailed report about it but I went over it again, the hypertension and how it was aggravated by kidney problems, the ulcers that had formerly responded to diet and medication but were not responding well to this now. He said his ambassador had the same problems and it just left for USSR along with their doctor/ he said that the doctor and the services in USSR are available for their staff
– about the 12 year old he did say if their doctor was here he could look at him and if he needs medication, maybe they can help there, but I said medication wouldn’t help
– (this is new, above, as previously he had said their doctor couldn’t see anyone but their staff)
(over)
G-1-e-3b
– he said we have to understand the exclusivity/ that is the duty of the USSR to meet the needs of their people first
– that there is the best hospital in the world for eye problems in Odessa/ that millionaires come and pay thousands of dollars for care there. I said they ought to pay a lot of money for it, even millions and he said not millions but a lot of money/ sin sometimes that people have to wait for treatment so have to take care of them first
– he said they have films there especially for us (this was a statement to compensate for not having any answers or any help to offer) because I am sure they are not just for us
– when he mentioned some problem of the 12 year old child and sending an American citizen, I clarified the child was Guyanese and he said it would have to go thru the Guyana Foreign affairs