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Report on graduation ceremony at Burnham Agricultural Institute, August 3, 1978
Deborah Touchette
Aug. 3, 1978
To: Jim Jones
Graduation – Burnham Agricultural Institute
w/Tim C [Carter], Deb T [Touchette], Evette J [Yvette Muldrow Jones], Darrell D [Devers], Tony W [Walker], Nel [Nell Smart], John B [Jonny Moss Brown Jones], & Nel’s Children [Alfred, Scott, and Terri Smart; and Tinetra Fain] & Kay Nelson.
– approx. two hundred people attended including the graduates.
– people present that I know were: Mr & Mrs Carmichael, Alton Daw, Mrs. Brazillio, Cde. Wyatt, Benji, the police officer. Guest speakers Cde. Smith and Cde. Davidson, Smith is the Livestock officer, Natarkai, North West Region & Davidson is Principal, Guyana School of Agriculture.
– Cde. Daw mentioned Peoples Temple mission had attended a Siminar with them on Agriculture by Min of Agriculture, in his speech to the audience.
– he also mentioned that long green beans were supplied to them for planting by the P.T. Agricultural project, and they could be used when young and were high in protein and could be used for feed to animals when ground, he gave his first words of gratitude to the Peoples Temple.
– he told of the problems and progress of the farm
– there were 11/16 of an acre of peanuts planted with several thousand pounds of peanuts reaped after dried and in hull.
– twelve hundred lbs. of greens were supplied to their cafeteria during there last year
– students have enjoyed mutton and beef as well as pigs and chickens in regular supply
– told of the assistance the GNS [Guyana National Service] gave to them
– said cde. Owen Clarke formerly an instructor at Burnham Institute is now a student at Tuskegee, so they are in need of two people in the area of animals to assist that area at BAI.
– the assyblies [Assemblies] of God pastered the church services this year at BAI, he mentioned that church services are always provided at the institute and Hindu services were provided as well.
– They learned to make a strong rope, made from the hide of cats.
– he said they had many needs;
1 improve housing and buildings at the institute
2 books to library
3 three academic members of staff residence, one with knowledge of machinery and water pumps
4 two watch men at night, and license for fire arms, they have lost poultry and stock and sheep from tigers, thieves, and hawks.
5 need allowance for staff members who work there, said Matakai workers at the lowest levels obtain allowances.
6 need to upgrade education
7 publicity of BAI (for more attandence)
8 they need more friends because of the things they have to produce for this community.
– he said the institute could not have survived without assistance from people in local areas, mentioned Cde. Smith, Cde. Brazillo arranging flights so that people could get in and out in time for classes, also Elmer Holder who arranged trains and got people to the graduation on time and the Cde. Minister Carmichael for his advice.
– Cde. Wyatt. Regional Dev. Officer, Matarkai, noted that all the great people in the community and country have at sometime been teachers…
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– said he didn’t know if this applied to other countries, named cde. Ptolemy Reid, Cde. Forbes Burnham and cde. Davidson.
– cde. Davidson spke;
– said he was asked to establish an Institute in “73”, it was the consensus of Matthews Ridge, six mile and Port Kaituma to set it up at Arakaka, he was especially happy for personal reasons, his maternal grandfather lived there
– he urged all people in this area to join forces and develop agriculturally the region.
– said he herd food was short in the area, he feels its not food shortage, but distribution, said sometimes you see mountains of food in areas that cannot reach the people.
– to religious people, he said, Man has been given instructions to take charge of the world”. Genissis [Genesis] I, says It is mans function to create and produce. The world at large bas this problem to face.
– There is a cry for production and he didn’t think the response was positive in all quarters.
– quoted Swift as saying “Whoever makes two ears of corn grow, or two blades of grass where one grew before, deserves better mankind then the whole race of politicians put togather.
– the point is, he said, farmers are important people. Food trancendes all other needs, most things you would not be able to do if food intake and nutritions were not right.
– an important ingredient for productivity is willingness to work. Sometimes people run to toilet ten times, others fight, and others are clock watchers, these are facts presented, be aware, I work with people, he said.
– We should investigate why people operate in a certain way
– We need to produce and process export for foreign exchange
– We need nutrition, employment and capital for further development or we will not make significant gains.
– he said the reason there is lack of foreign exchange is because of waste in Guyana, people don’t take care of what we have.
– said workers and management should exchange ideas, but it should be done respectfully. Not that workers should fell [feel] they will participate in everything. It should be understood.
– said Guyana was sponsoring four Zimbabwen students to come to Guyana’s School of Agriculture and people from Africa, Grenada and the Bahamas as well as various parts of Guyana.
– he said we need to discipline ourselves to achieve, nothing can be done without discipline.
– he told a story of a young man who feed the animals at different hours, or whenever he felt like it and one time he was attacked by a bore [boar] who was seeking revenge.
– he said you must have humility with discipline with hard committed work, and that was his fundamental charge to the graduating students there.
– Evette and myself met him after the program and thanked him for his words of knoledge. We invited him to come out to Jonestown and told him Cde. Jones would like to meet him.
– he said he had herd [heard] of all the things Jonestown was doing, he had been in the area, but never had the opportunity to visit, but that he would make it a point to do so because he would be working in and out of the area.
– We also met Benjie the police officer, he said he would be comming to visit us sometime this week because his family was
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comming to visit him and he wanted them to see Jonestown.
– I met one gentleman who said he ran the Matthews Ridge food store and said he had met alot of people in Georgetown who had asked him about Jonestown, the problem was he had never been there and he felt in order to give correct answers he would have to come and visit.
– I told him that because were foreigners, at times people are not sure of us, and until they get to know that we are fully integrated, and are here to give, not to exploite, they are just not sure of us,
– He agreed that this was so, said alot of people had asked him questions, and they had the wrong idea of what was going on in Jonestown, siad they had read newspaper articles, said something about the press always having things to say…
– I had to leave right then because the transportation was leaving but I think Jon Brown Jones should follow up on this.
– Johnny told me he had been at the guest house with this man in Matthews Ridge and he had not mentioned this to John
– By the way Benji the police officer was promoted to Chief Inspector for Matarkai, North West Region., he said to be sure to tell Jim Jones that.
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[Program of graduation]
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Bless Oh Lord this our meeting
Grant that all our Deliberations
Be pleasing in thy sight
AMEN
“OUR NATIONAL PLEDGE”
I pledge myself to honour always the flag of Guyana and to be loyal to my country, to be obedient to the Laws of Guyana, to love my fellow citizens and to Dedicate my energies towards the Happiness and Prosperity of Guyana.
“OBJECTS OF THE PARTY”
TO secure and maintain through the practice of co-operative Socialism the interests, well-being and prosperity of ALL the PEOPLE of GUYANA.
TO pursue our commitment to the SOCIALIST ideal and more particularly to ensure that the people of Guyana OWN AND [COMMIT] for the benefit the natural resources of [Guyana].
TO provide every Guyanese the Opportunity to work for and share in the ECONOMIC WELL-BEING of the Country and to ensure that there is EQUALITY of opportunity in the political economic and social life of the country.
TO motivate the people of Guyana to improve by their own efforts and through the Party, the communities in which they live
TO pusue constantly the goal of NATIONAL SELF-RELIANCE.
TO work for the closest possible association of GUYANA with her CARIBBEAN NEIGHBOURS and to maintain a link with INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS and AGENTS whose aim and objectives are consistent with those of the PEOPLE’S NATIONAL [illegible]
TO NOMINATE AND SUPPORT members of the Party for election to the CENTRAL LEGISLATURE and LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS.
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Mike Prokes memo on visit to Moravian Church, April 1978
April 9th
Church Report
From: Prokes
April 9 Sunday: Evelyn and I attended the Moravean Christian Church pastored Rev. George Richmond, treasurer of the Council of Churches. He is black. There were only about 40-50 people in attendance. Dr. Baird attends this church but was not there. Rev. Richmond shook my hand as I was leaving and asked me with a big smile if I was from P.T. I said yes and he said it was good to have us come. I told him it was a beautiful service. I lied.
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Reports by Mike Prokes with Guyana, US officials, April 15, 1978
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[first page illegible]
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arrests orders and he said they should not be a consideration, they will not be enforced, etc. and he dares anyone to come to his house while JJ is there and say anything about it.
Dick McCoy, Sat. April 15th phone conversation (no time to go to him.) I asked Nick if he had asked anyone if they had come visit the project. He said who do you mean. I said “Let’s just say a group that’s more left then us but interested in humanitarian work.” He thought for a moment and said he said something to Timofevev [Feodor Timofeyev] of the Soviet Embassy, but he added that the subject of Peoples Temple was raised by Timofevev. I had the impression that Nick was taken back by the question I posed and he may have been covering, so I plan on asking Timfevev about it. Nick said that if people were interested in us then didn’t mean one thing or another to him, (if they wanted to visit). I think that is the public posture Nick is supposed to take but I think he was covering in this case and probably did raise the issue with Timofevev. I think he may have admitted he talked with him because he assumed I knew that he did, otherwise I wouldn’t be asking him about it. I told him we’ve invited many embassies and anyone expressing an interest in us. We mentioned the Chronicle article about our show. Said it was nice but mentioned that it didn’t carry any attribution or byline. I didn’t tell him I wrote it. I just said I really didn’t understand the policies of the paper considering it is a government paper. He said they claim certain press freedoms, according to what Carl Blackman told him, and they vociferously defend that what they write is their own work, though the government sets the guidelines.
I told him about the possible call from Channel 7 though I said I doubted that would call him. But I said in case it did come in, would he say Maria is happy and healthy etc. and that she travels about freely. He said he would say that she comes and goes on her own and that she appeared well to him, that she had good skin or color tone and seemed to have a good attitude about her life here. But he said he would not offer a comment about why Maria brought the attorney with her to the meeting with her dad. He said that since he had not talked personally to Maria about that, it would only be hearsay. Thus, if he were asked about that specific issue, he would just say that he is not in a position to comment on it.
I told Nick I was dressed down for some of the things in my Cultural Show speech. He said by who and I said “Well, some of the staff.” He seemed very interested to hear that. I followed the instructions precisely as far as what to say about it and he responded by saying, “When you start bringing in politics at such an affair, I think it bothers people who might wonder if this is a political organization, and if so, what’s behind it. It raises fears.” I told him that some of the talk was my own subjectivity which I no doubt should have left out. I said usually JJ handles this kind of thing and I told him what JJ said about it after he saw a copy of the speech. Then I brought in that things would have been different if JJ felt the freedom to travel, because then he would have given the speech or at least corrected mine so that it carried more positive things about the U.S. etc. Nick responded that JJ shouldn’t feel he is under some kind of loose house arrest. He said he’s had it pretty well laid out for him: “The thing last August has been pretty well quashed. The delay indicates the judge has other things to do. But I don’t think JJ will have to appear. But JJ is as far away from arrest as I am. Remember, this is a civil case. It’s not as if JJ is out on bail. There are no criminal charges involved. The only criminal charge that could be filed is contempt – and that would have to be proven.”
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Nick (cont.) I speculated to him that JJ might be concerned that being in public would be an embarrassment to some. (I made it clear I was speculating) He said, “An embarrassment to who?” I said perhaps somebody in official capacity. He said well it certainly wouldn’t be an embarrassment to me and he didn’t see how it could anyone else. Then he said that perhaps he didn’t make this issue clear to JJ when he talked with him. He said that he was considering a “farewell trip” to Jonestown perhaps in June. But he said others were hounding him to go also, such as Dan Weber and he might have him come out. It wouldn’t be a business trip but more social-pleasure because there is interest in the project and the work going on.
One thing he said when I mentioned that JJ felt he should stay on the project was that we shouldn’t get a fortress mentality. That’s when I brought out the possibility that JJ might think it could embarrass someone if he became more visible.
I told him what JJ wanted to be said in the speech re: positive things about the U.S. and the Embassy here which was mentioned in another part of the show. I then told him how we are developing a lot of goodwill on the radio and how so many have said they are proud to be Americans because of the work we’re doing here, etc. Nick said, “You don’t have to prove anything -to me. I don’t have any problems with your organization. If I did, I would bring them out in the open.”
Nick was friendly throughout our conversation-more friendly than he usually seems and I think it may have been due to the strategy put to him about my speech at the cultural show.
Saturday, April 15th meeting with Mingo (Carter, Prokes, Touchette):
When we asked Mingo about the possibility of Burnham making a coalition with Jagan, he said he thought the PM was serious about national unity but based on ideological principles – not a coalition. Mingo said he agreed with that position – that unity should be based on Socialism built from the ground up. He said the last time Burnham and Jagan were united (which was in the 50’s), the blacks coalesced around Burnham and the East Indians around Jagan. Mingo agrees with Burnham that the same situation would arise again; thus there would not be true unity. In other words, even if Burnham and Jagan united, the people would not necessarily unite. The argument is that to bring true unity Burnham should bring it about by his own merits.
Tim asked Mingo to explain the new constitution and referendum. After explaining, Mingo said confidentially to us that Reid had us in mind as a possibility for votes, but it hadn’t been worked out yet. He said it would illegal and said he wanted us to keep it in the strictest confidence.
We asked Mingo if Reid could become Prime Minister before Jack could. He said that Reid could because he has the popularity and influence, but he said Reid has indicated that his next move will more likely retirement. He didn’t talk in terms of a date. He did say that if jack and Green and Hoyte were ever in a position to become Prime Minister and they vied for it, then Reid might step in and take the job to resolve the contest.
He said the country is facing a serious crisis (economic) and Burnham’s trip was significant in terms of easing the crisis (if he was successful in getting substantial aid). If he was unsuccessful, there would likely be a change in the country’s policies – I it would either go left or right.
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We asked him if he thought Bunny Mann might going to investigate us. He said he thought Mann was capable of anything. We asked him if he thought Mann could hurt us. He said that Claude Worrell had far more respect than Mann has, and Since Worrell was the one who recommended us, it would take a lot for Mann to negate that. He said the worst he thought Mann could do is blackmail us. We asked him and he said by using his position to get us to do what he wants us to do. In other words, he might threaten to hurt us with key persons in the U.S. (I presume he meant government officials) if we didn’t do what he asked.
We asked him why he thought Mann was retained considering his outrageous and illegal behavior. He said that is one of the mysteries of Guyana politics. He said he does know that Mann has been friends with the Burnham for a long time and used to report to Burnham on the Opposition’s activities (this was when Mann was a member of the Opposition). He said they used to meet a lot and Mann no doubt got to know much about Burnham’s personal life. Whether Mann has something over Burnham as a result of this past relationship, however, Mingo said he didn’t know.
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PR report from Mike Prokes, April 16, 1978
PR REPORT
FROM: PROKES
Sunday, April 16th: Joyce Johnson and I attended church,
About 50 persons were in attendance including Lionel Luckhoo. When we took communion, Lionel could not have missed seeing us though I didn’t look at him. After the service we waited outside for him to come out. I have the impression he deliberately tried to avoid us as he came out a door that took him passed us and walked briskly towards his car. I called his name and he stopped, turned around, then held out his hand. I asked him if he was going home and could he give us a drop there. He said yes and on the way told me he got a confusing message or question from Sharon. He said I know you are getting impatient with the delay in the decision but you ought not to trouble yourselves or put yourselves through all this (or something to that effect). At that point I said, “you know Lionel, it would really be good if you could get out and see the project – the children, the seniors, the brotherhood, etc. – because it would really help your understanding of us. I could talk all night about our community but until you see it in person, you really can’t get an accurate picture.” I said also he could explain things to JJ about the case and resolve our questions. He then began to tell me about his impossible schedule, so I just said, well maybe you could just set a day aside sometime and we would make all the arrangements/ He never gave me a definitive answer. He asked if Joyce had come in with our show troupe. We said yes and I told him about the tremendous response to the show, how people have been stopping me on the street asking when we’re going to have another one, etc. Lionel said it must have been very expensive to put the show on. I didn’t know if he was speaking from some knowledge of the rental fee, if he knew the tickets were, or what, so I told him I didn’t know what it cost but it certainly was worth it in terms of creating an understanding of our group and its role in Guyana. Lionel took us as far as his house and said he had to get ready for a sporting event which he said we ought to attend at GCC. I told him I thought I would go and take some of our people with me. We thanked him for the ride and walked the rest of the way home.
[handwritten addition] 4/21 Update : We bought Lionel a gift and took it to his house. He was asleep so we left it for his daughter to give to him. The gift was a nice wooden vase but we have not heard from him yet and it’s been at least 4 days since we delivered the gift. My opinion is still that we will not be able to utilize his services after this case because I think he will be unavailable or too busy. (over)
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I think he may have taken our questions as an affront to his “greatness” as a lawyer. In other words, his assurance that we would ultimately win the case is all we need be concerned about, as he sees it.
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Sharon Amos meeting with J. Butlers, Guyana Coop Bank, March 23, 1978
Coop Bank J. Butlers 23/3/78 Sharon Amos
– US exchange is fixed to the Guyana Dollar by the central bank of Guyana
– we are tied to the US dollar so it doesn’t fluctuate, the parity rate between the Guyana money and US dollar
– if Guyana devaluates, there is no account where you can keep the rate before de-valuation
– securities: situation not too stable, most dealings in foreign currency/ has to be done with the express permission from Guyana Bank
– can buy govt. securities/ pay 5.8% – they run from five years upward
– account that can be frozen/fixed deposit account paus 5 ½ % for 1 year
(3 mos. Pay 4%, 6 mos ???) but it still is affected by devaluation
– convert Guyanese money to US dollars for a sale/ external account/ don’t have to get exchange control permission
– can transfer frunds from an external account to buy something abroad / but have to declare it
– in the past they would hold foreign money for you (used to be tied to the British Sterling, the Guyana dollar) and people would cash in on this by holding money until it went up in value, but they don’t want people speculating like this now
– 2-3 years ago the British pound fell and then the Guyana dollar was tied to US
– no room for speculation anymore/ you can’t even send $50 out without permission of the Guyanese Bank
– have to have express permission to transfer external bank abroad/ and then can’t put Guyanese money in that kind of account
– Exchange Control Dept Guyana Bank: Mr. Pat Moore and Mr. Frazer
– Exchange Control Regulations change very frequently, hard ot keep up with them
IMF: not likely to alter the money situation/ he thinks IMF would keep the present rate to keep funds in
– re IMF conditions to satisfy, redeployment (they want full use of skills)
– the reason for devaluation is to increase production but Guyana’s production is falling in sugar, bauxite, rice so there wouldn’t be any benefit by devaluation
JAMAICA: we talked about IMF making them devaluate
– he said that Jamaica had an increase in production and might be exporting more
– decrease of imports (that is the goal of IMF)
– devaluation
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Sharon Amos meeting with attorney Mortimer Codette, April 11, 1978
Sharon Amos
Codette 11/4/78 (Sharon & Debbie)
– he was driving by and greeted us/ we said hello/ it was his idea to pull over and talk further to us
– he was extremely friendly
– I told him how we were helping in mobilization for the PNC
– said the show was the best he had seen, wondered if we were going to do it again
– said we’d have to have mutual cooperation, Guyana could teach us how to make charcoal or something like that and we could teach them something
– we invited him to come by for a drink/ he said he might surprise us and drop by
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Tony Walker report on meeting with Concerned Relatives mother, Nelma Jones, September 4, 1978
Velma Jones
w/Tony, Erin, Deb T.
Tony Walker
September 4, 1978
– We took Velma Jones to the airport, she was still hostil as the day before.
she ate no dinner the night before, or the next day, no breakfast.
– at the airport we talked about Africa, her nice [niece], and how she was soing.
I commented how bright she was and she agreed.
– She said that she is going to Huston for a family meeting.
– she will talk to only them about P.T., she said her brother knew people here in Guyana. they had been involved in a underground student movement and had to flee Texas.
– Some of the friends came here.
– She commented that her brother would want to come here if he is permitted.
– we told her that it would be fine.
– she commented that her friends sister had a heart attack when she found out she was comming here because of things some of our former members had told her.
– she asked Deb to write a postcard to her, and she wrote out what she wanted on it.
– It read – Your friends have lied to you, they are not keeping me I am coming home.
– she said if it were not for ex-members things would be better for us.
– we tried to talk to her more about the project and what was wrong, she cut us off and replied that she hasn’t let anyone influence her on the other side and she won’t let us di it either and doesn’t want to talk about P.T. anymore, she will discuss the project with her family in Huston.
– she also said she should feed Leona [Collier] poison for this. Maby invite her over for dinner and sort of laughed.
– I commented that that you wouldn’t really do that Velma would you? She said that I don’t know her, with hostility.
– I left out to get her reservations confirmed and she came out and confronted me as to why Val told her that she was only comming for six weeks and now is staying?
– I told her that alot of people have just come initially for a vacation and decided to stay because they liked it and I told her they were probably no different than Val.
– She started crying and said now Val said she won’t come back, not even for a visit, she said she has been told half truths from the beginning.
– I asked her for example.
– She told me Val told her in from of Marcie and others Tim & herself were married.
– Tim talked to her alone and said mom, we aren’t married.
– I assured that they were married and that I didn’t know why Tim would say this.
– She asked me was I calling Tim a liar and I said yes because I know for a fact that they were married.
– She commented that people had followed her in J/town and she couldn’t go anyplace without three or four people with her.
– I told her that no one was following her and it is a small community, and it’s not unusual to see person around frequently.
– she said that’s o.k., I’ll talk to my relatives in our family meeting.
– She said that she is going to kick Leon’s ass physically when she gets back and left our table.
– She was quiet until we got the ticket (got to the ticket counter) and she found out that she would have to go to S.F. first.
– she said tell Leona to get a round trip ticket to Huston or her ass is mine.
If we don’t deliver the message she will do what she has to do.
– we thought she had got on the plane when she came back saying they took the
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Scratch paper
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Tony W. (2)
– film, it was only films of the baby (Francines)
– she also had American currency without a blue slip, so we talked to a man Debbie knew and he cleared her, she left on the flight.