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COMMENTS ABOUT JONESTOWN, GUYANA, FROM ON-SITE VISITORS
- Frank Tuminia, Officer Charge of Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, US State Department: “Impressive work.”
- John Blacken [Blacken], Charge D’Affaires, new assistant to UN Ambassador Andrew Young: “I am impressed.”
- Robert Baird, Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health, Guyana: “Impressive.”
- Frank Wills, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Guyana: “Peace and love in action.”
- Vincent Teekah, Minister of Education, Guyana: “Very impressive.”
- D. Wyatt, Regional Development Officer, North West Region, Guyana: “Very progressive.”
- Gavin Kennard, Ministry of Agriculture, Guyana: “Very impressive, keep it up.”
- Richard McCoy, United States Ambassador [Consul] to Guyana: “A very pleasant day in a very pleasant atmosphere.”
- Steve Naraine, Minister of Works and Transportation: “Very impressed with the progress since I visited one year ago.”
- Basil Armstrong, Chief Official in the Ministry of Education, Guyana: “Very much impressed with everything, thanks.”
- Peter Gantry, British High Commissioner in Guyana: “A most impressive start and I wish you all success.”
- Dennis Irvine, Chancellor of the University of Guyana: “Impressive.”
- Martyn D’Asram, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works and Transportation: “A wonderful experience, a model village community to be emulated.”
- John Worrell, Assistant Director General of National Service, Guyana: “Excellent.”
- Soviet News Agency Tass: “It’s very, very impressive.” “Thank you for this opportunity and best wishes.”
- Fitz Carmichael, Regional Minister, North West Region: “Keep up the good work.”
- Thirty-five teachers from the McKenzie District, Guyana: “Fantastic, beyond one’s imagination, miraculous, beautiful, a true example of socialist living.”
- Joseph Dacosta, a dentist from India and founder of a dental school in Georgetown, Guyana: “The health care in the community is fantastic. Jonestown is a little bit of heaven.” After examining the teeth of 87 children, he found only two cavities: “This,” he said, “is unheard of.”
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IMPRESSIONS OF VISITORS TO THE PEOPLES TEMPLE AGRICULTURAL PROJECT IN JONESTOWN
Richard McCoy, American Consul: “A very pleasant day in a very pleasant atmosphere.”
John Blacken, American Embassy: “I am impressed.”
Frank Tumininiaae [Tumininia], Dept of State, Guyana Desk (USA): “Impressive work.”
Adeline R. Bacchus, Min. of Education: “Amazing.”
Trenton London, Port Kaituma: “Remarkable.”
Eloise Culpepper, Port Kaituma: “Simply wonderful.”
Donna Brown, student, Linden: “Fantastic.”
Walter Thain, Cytologist, USA: “Incredible.”
Compton Mahese, student, Linden: “Marvelous.”
Jennifer Cave, student, Linden: “Remarkable testimony of what our interior is capable of.”
Steve Carlton Jones, student, Linden: “One of the most fantastic things I have ever seen.”
Hollis Alexander, student, Linden: “Beyond one’s imagination.”
Malcom Johnson, student, Linden: “Magnificence is surely your motto.”
Sandra Ferrier, student, Linden: “A very unforgettable experience.”
Colin Albert, student, Linden: “Beyond my expression.”
Sheik M. Ally, student, Linden: “Simply beautiful.”
Aubrey Quamine, student, Linden: “A true example of socialism.”
Mark Denny, Amelia Warde: “It is the first large farm I have seen where everyone is doing his job without supervision.”
Jasper Wayn, student, Linden: “Remarkable! What motivation!”
Orlando Goring, Burnham Ag. Institute: “Marvelous adventure.”
Mike Charles, store owner, Port Kaituma: “I love the people.”
Anna Maratte, Linden: “The people are very friendly.”
Dennis John, Burnham Ag. Institute: “Excellent Cooperation.”
Fitz Roy Warde, Burnham Ag. Institute: “Excellent development.”
Vivian Davis, Professional Nurse, USA: “Beautiful people”
Dr. Joseph D’Costa, Dentist, Georgetown (native of India): “A little bit of heaven.”
Frederick Wills, Foreign Minister, Guyana: “Socialism, peace and love in action.”
Norman Adams, Office manager, Ministry of Regional Development: “Jonestown is most spectacular.”
Sgt. E. Gaskin, Matthews Ridge, Police: “A garden of paradise.”
Mike d’Abreu, Texaco West Indies, District Mgr.: “This is a fantastic project of hard work.”
Q’Martyn d’Abreau, Permanent Secretary, Min. of Works and Transport: “A wonderful experience. A model village/community to be emulated.”
Diane Coltress, student, Georgetown: “Terribly original work and planning.”
Ethel Britton, Chief Community Development Officer, Min. of Co-ops and National Mobility: “I am impressed with this new community in the way the members have adjusted and are making a living using the resources of this country. Congratulations and may your success and achievements be an example to all Guyanese.”
Norman Simpson, N.I.S., Matthews Ridge: “This agricultural project is just what our country needs.”
Lloyd Shannon, Clerk General, Min. of National Development: “Good for a model farm.”
Gerald Fowler, Det. Chief Inspector, F Div. Hdqtrs, Eve Leary: “This is a living example to the people of Guyana, and a living example to be followed.”
Peter deGroot, student: “A very good effort. It is the best I’ve seen so far in Guyana.”
Sraukleu Peters, Det. Constable, Mabaruma Police Station: “Setting an example to follow.”
Charles David, Public Health Inspecctor: “Very interesting and exciting.”
Mary Haynes: “Extremely interesting and beautiful buildings.”
Maoliyian Daniels, Senior Public Health Inspector, E.B. Demerrara: “Impressive and progressive for such a short time.”
Crevelle Williams: “Impressed by the rate of production and with the general administration.”
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Quotes from people who have visited their relatives at Jonestown; none of these are members of Peoples Temple:
Rev. Dr. John V. Moore, Methodist Superintendent, visiting two daughters who are living at the project (May 14, 1978): “The quality of community life strikes me is most impressive. It is rare in the USA for children and older adults to live in such a close community. This is a beautiful society. Peoples whose contributions are regarded as minimal or unimportant in a mass society are included here, and thereby given a sense of worth. It is great to see people developing skills for which they had talent, but no opportunity to develop these talents. Furthermore, the pioneering situation calls for creativity and improvisation. The density of the forest or jungle made the cleared land of the project impressive. It is difficult to imagine how so much land could be cleared and so many crops planted and well on their way in so short a time.”
Mrs. Barbara C. Moore, visiting her children along with Rev. Moore (May 14, 1978): “The experience of Jonestown, Guyana, is one of sharing, caring, and incredible stamina and creativity. The lush tropical panorama his soothing to the eye into the psyche. The medical care is compassionate, thorough, and effective. New and creative educational techniques and the encouraging of individual initiative on the part of both young and old are to be committed. Thank you, dear people, for a lovely learning experience in a unique setting.”
Mrs. Vivian Davis, professional nurse visiting her two daughters and grandchildren at the Jonestown project: “I first saw Jonestown, South America, on April 23, 1978, and I was amazed. To see it is to believe. To see that people can live and work together and build such a beautiful community out of what was nothing but jungle! I saw that this town had unity, love for their fellow person, and equality for all. I saw children laughing, running, and playing with no fear or danger of their lives. I saw the work and love that is being put into this new town. The schools, nursery, medical and nursing care being given out to one and all – even senior citizens – have a great part of this new town. They are not cast aside to sit and die, but help teach the younger ones their knowledge and know how that the experience of years has taught them.
“Jonestown is something that one must see to appreciate and to know and understand what people are doing. It is hard to put on paper when my eyes have seen. So I suggest, before anyone makes a judgment, he or she tried to see for him or herself. Thanks to Jim Jones and his wife, I was welcome.”
A prominent US physician recently visited Jonestown:
Dr. Walter Thain, MD, head of nearly a thousand positions of the MARCO Medical Net of Amateur Radio Operators, who visited the Jonestown project for several days: “It’s mind-boggling to see how you have carved out of the jungle a community that looks just like a [words crossed out: “town in the United States”] small city – and with all the public utilities.”
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Early incomplete draft of “INFORMATION SHEET NUMBER 3”
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[Content of PR packet, many lines crossed out, likely as contents included]
[Handwritten notation: “Tim Carter”]
PACKET TO GO TO THE CARIBBEAN NEWS AGENCIES AND MEDIA: CONTENTS
Cover letter (change slightly for Caribbean Contact – add the following paragraph after the paragraph ending “international smear campaign:”
We have for years been enthusiastic admirers of Caribbean Contact, and have appreciated your progressive views and courageous journalism. We are confident that you will have the good sense to see through the masks of these efforts to destroy a socialist church.
Statement: Response to “Concerned Relatives”
Statement: Laurie’s [Efrein] 13-page document (in Georgetown)
Booklet: “A Model of Cooperation
Charles Garry’s Article: “I Have Been to Paradise”
Sheet containing quotes of visitors, Rev. Moore, Dr. Walt, Vivian Davis, others
Booklet of Quotes (10 page)
Large booklet of quotes (Statements About Peoples Temple and Rev. Jim Jones)
Copy of October, 1977 Peoples Forum (four Caribbean Contact only) [handwritten addendum: “add in Georgetown)”
Copies of letters written upon our behalf by: Willie Brown, [illegible] Merv Dymally, Art Agnos, WILPF, Angela Davis Statement, Dennis Banks, John Maher, Enola Maxwell, [illegible], Julia Hare, Cristina Vasquez, Connie Williams, Charles Briody.
[Handwritten addition: “State Department memos (KEEP COPIES!)
Georgetown has copies of all the above inserts in the file cabinet. Makeup packets for each news agency you plan to send to.
[Handwritten notation: “UDJ article on mercenaries – don’t have it”]
NOTE: SEND THIS SAME PACKET TO AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS – I have enclosed a ‘covering letter’ for them, but I don’t have their address.