[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE04173_d.html.]
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PAGE 01
GEORGE 04173 091040Z
ACTION ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CA-01 SS-15 PER-05 SSO-00 /037 W
——————076009 091050Z /20
O 082101Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8386
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 4173
FOR ARA/CAR – HEWITT
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: OREP, GY
SUBJ: SCHEDULE OF TRIPS TO JONESTOWN
1. FOLLOWING THE CONSUL’S MAY 10 TRIP TO JONESTOWN, THE NEXT TRIP WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE FIRST WEEK IN AUGUST SO THAT DEPARTING CONSUL MCCOY MIGHT INTRODUCE HIS SUCCESSOR, CONSUL ELLICE. THE AIRSTRIP AT PORT KAITUMA WAS CLOSED, HOWEVER, DUE TO UNSEASONABLY HEAVY RAINS, AND REMAINED CLOSED UNITL THE END OF AUGUST.
2. A TRIP THEN WAS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 31, WHICH HAD TO BE CANCELLED DUE TO THE UNAVAILABILITY OF THE CHARTER AIRCRAFT. TRIPS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 6 AND AGAIN FOR SEPTEMBER 12 WERE POSTPONED AT THE REQUEST OF THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE SO THAT THE CONSULAR VISIT MIGHT CONCIDE WITH THE PROJECTED VISIT OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE LAWYER CHARLES GARRY WHO WAS DUE IN COUNTRY TO PREPARE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE DESPONSITIONS WITH REQUIRED NOTARIZATION BY A CONSUL. THE CONSUL WAS OUT OF GUYANA FOR A WEEK IN MID-SEPTEMBER TO ATTEND A CONSULAR CONFERENCE. SUBJSEQUESNTLY THE CHARTER AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE.
3. A THREE DAY TRIP VIA MATTHEWS RIDGE BY COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT WAS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 27-29 AND THEN
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CANCELLED WHEN THE AIRLINE WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM RETURN RESERVATIONS. NO TRIP WAS SCHEDULED IN OCTOBER BECAUSE OF A SHORTAGE OF STAFF DUE TO THE LABOR CONFERENCE OUTSIDE OF GUYANA AND A LONG SCHEDULED RECREATION AND REHABILITATION LEAVE. THE NEXT VISIT WAS PANNNED TO TAKE PLACE AS SOON AS STAFFING RETURNED TO NORMAL AND IN FACT OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 7.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
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