GROWING CONCERN AMONG THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PEOPLE'S PROGRESSIVE PARTY REGARDING THE JANUARY 2001 ELECTIONS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06848448
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: June 29, 2021
• Case Number: F-2019-00845
• Publication Date: June 6, 2000

Approved for Release: 2021/06/28 C06848448
R 060632Z JUN 00
FM CIA
S E E T NOFORN
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
REPORT CLASS S E E T--NOFORN
DIST: 6 JUNE 2000
COUNTRY: GUYANA
SUBJ: GROWING CONCERN AMONG THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PEOPLE'S PROGRESSIVE
PARTY REGARDING THE JANUARY 2001 ELECTIONS
DOI:
SOT rR C'F.
SUMMARY: NONE
TEXT: 1. L PEOPLE'S PROGRESSIVE PARTY (PPP) GENERAL
SECRETARY DONALD ((RAMOTAR)) HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY WORRIED THAT THE
PPP WAS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE AND COULD LOSE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
SCHEDULED FOR 17 JANUARY 2001. RAMOTAR WAS CONCERNED THAT A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF REGULAR PPP VOTERS WERE BEING WON OVER BY GUYANA INDIAN
FRIENDSHIP TRUST (GIFT) LEADER RAVI ((DEV)), AND THAT ADDITIONAL VOTERS ALSO
WERE BEING WOOED AWAY BY FORMER PRESIDENT JANET ((JAGAN))'S SON CHEDDI
((JAGAN)), JR. FURTHER, RAMOTAR BELIEVED THAT ENOUGH PPP VOTERS WERE
SUFFICIENTLY DISILLUSIONED WITH THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT TO SIMPLY REFRAIN
FROM VOTING. RAMOTAR BELIEVED THAT THOSE THREE FORCES, IF NOT CONTROLLED,
COULD ADD UP TO A PEOPLE'S NATIONAL CONGRESS (PNC) VICTORY AT THE POLLS.
2. RAMOTAR WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT IF THE PPP MANAGED TO WIN THE
ELECTION, THERE WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT OF VIOLENCE FROM
WHOSE LEADERS WOULD CLAIM THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN FROM THEM.
COMMENT: ALTHOUGH PPP LEADERS WITHIN THE PARTY'S CENTRAL COMMITTEE WERE
CONVINCED THAT VIOLENCE WAS LIKELY, THEY BELIEVED THAT THEY COULD RIDE OUT
ANY RESULTING DEMONSTRATIONS AS THEY DID AFTER THE 1997 ELECTION.)
NEVERTHELESS, THE PPP DID NOT WISH TO DELAY THE ELECTION UNTIL TRANSPARENCY
MEASURES WERE IN PLACE BECAUSE IT WORRIED THAT, IN THE INTERIM, THE ECONOMY
COULD DETERIORATE SUFFICIENTLY TO ENSURE THE PPP'S LOSS OF THE ELECTION.
3. ANOTHER ISSUE OF CONCERN EXPRESSED BY RAMOTAR WAS THE RETIREMENT OF
FORMER GUYANA DEFENSE FORCE (GDF) CHIEF OF STAFF MAJOR GENERAL JOSEPH
((SINGH)). RAMOTAR VIEWED SINGH AS A STABILIZING FORCE IN GUYANA AND A CHECK
ON THE POSSIBLE EXPLOITATION OF THE LARGELY AFRO-GUYANESE GDF BY THE PNC.
OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO RAMOTAR WAS THE PPP "OLD GUARD'S" INSISTENCE THAT
SINGH'S REPLACEMENT, BRIGADIER MICHAEL ((ATHERLY)), BE REPLACED BY COLONEL
CHABILAL ((RAMSAROOP)). SINGH'S LOSS, COUPLED WITH THE RACIALLY CHARGED
PROMOTION OF AN INDO-GUYANESE OFFICER OVER ATHERLY, WHO IS AFRO-GUYANESE,
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COULD EASILY BE EXPLOITED BY THE PNC. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY TRUE, ACCORDING
TO RAMOTAR, BECAUSE RAMSAROOP WOULD FIRST HAVE TO BE PROMOTED TO
BRIGADIER BEFORE HE COULD REPLACE ATHERLY. BOTH RAMOTAR AND PRESIDENT
((JAGDEO)) WERE VIGOROUSLY OPPOSING ANY MOVE TO REPLACE ATHERLY.
OMMENT: THE TOP THREE OFFICERS IN SENIORITY AND RANK WITHIN THE
GDF ARE ATHERLY, COLONEL EDWARD ((COLLINS)), AND RAMSAROOP, OF WHICH
RAMSAROOP IS BY FAR THE LEAST PREPARED AND COMPETENT. COLLINS IS ALSO AFRO-
GUYANESE, BUT IS CURRENTLY ATTENDING A U.S. MILITARY SCHOOL.)
POC:
WELCOME.
COMMENTS, EVALUATIONS, AND REQUIREMENTS
WARNING: REPORT CLASS SECRE T--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS.
ALL PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOCUMENT.
BT
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