<SANITIZED> MANEUVERING TO INFLUENCE THE MILITARY'S ATTITUDE TOWARD THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, DISARRAY IN THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, AND POSSIBLE SUCCESSORS TO PEOPLE'S NATIONAL CONGRESS LEADER DESMON HOYTE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06848450
• 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: August 17, 2000

Approved for Release: 2021/06/28 C06848450
R 171437Z AUG 00
FM CIA
S yeelE T NOFORN
SUBJ: vIANEUVERING TO
INFLUENCE THE MILITARY'S ATTITUDE TOWARD THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION, DISARRAY IN THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, AND POSSIBLE SUCCESSORS TO
PEOPLE'S NATIONAL CONGRESS LEADER DESMOND HOYTE
SOURCE:
SUMMARY: NONE.
TEXT: I.
THE PNC HAS MADE A DELIBERATE EFFORT TO
ESTABLISH CLOSE TIES WITH THE GUYANESE DEFENSE FORCE (GDF) IN PREPARATION
FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION. HOYTE HAS SECURED FORMER GDF OFFICER COLONEL
EDWIN ((MCPHERSON)) AS THE PNC'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN MANAGER. THE PNC WANTS
TO AVOID ALLOWING THE GDF TO BE COOPTED BY THE PEOPLE'S PROGRESSIVE PARTY
(PPP), WHICH THEY FEEL MAY CALL FOR MARTIAL LAW IN THE EVENT OF AN UPRISING
RESULTING FROM A POSTPONED OR CANCELLED ELECTION, OR A PPP VICTORY.
2. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE NEW CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE GDF, BRIGADIER GENERAL
MICHAEL ((ATHERLY)), HAS SAID HE DOES NOT INTEND TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE
UPCOMING ELECTION, AND HAS ASSUMED A "WAIT-AND-SEE" ATTITUDE. LIKE PAST GDF
LEADERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF POLICE COMMISSIONER LAURIE ((LEWIS)), ATHERLY
SUPPORTS THE PNC; HE IS CONFIDENT THAT THE PNC WILL WIN. HE INTENDS TO FOLLOW
THE EXAMPLE SET BY FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF RETIRED MAJOR GENERAL JOSEPH
((SINGH)) TO REMAIN APOLITICAL AND KEEP HIS TROOPS IN THE BARRACKS.
NEVERTHELESS, ATHERLY IS EQUALLY AS FRUSTRATED AS SINGH WAS WITH THE
CURRENT STATE OF THE DOWNSIZED AND UNDERFUNDED GDF.
3. THE ELECTION MAY HAVE TO BE DELAYED A
FEW WEEKS BECAUSE OF THE TACTICS OF THE PPP. THE ELECTION COMMITT'EE, WHICH
IS CHAIRED BY GENERAL SINGH, IS COMPRISED OF THREE MEMBERS FROM EACH PARTY.
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, INSTEAD OF MAKING UNILATERAL DECISIONS, THE PPP
MEMBERS HAVE STALLED ON KEY ISSUES, PREFERRING TO CONSULT WITH THEIR PARTY
FIRST. COMMENT: THE PPP HAS CONSISTENTLY OPPOSED THE
REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN THE ELECTIONS.) AS A RESULT OF THESE ACTIONS,
SINGH WROTE A LETTER TO THE ELECTION COMMITTEE
MEMBERS CRITICIZING THEM FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO FUNCTION AS AN INDEPENDENT
BODY. ALSO, SINGH THREATENED TO PRESENT HIS RESIGNATION TO PRESIDENT
BHARRAT ((JAGDEO)) IF THE ELECTION COMMI ITEE MEMBERS DID NOT REFRAIN FROM
ALLOWING POLITICS TO INTERFERE WITH THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. IN ORDER TO
ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS OF THE COMMISSION, THE MEMBERS HAD AGREED TO ATTEND
A RETREAT DURING THE WEEKEND OF 5-7 AUGUST. COMMENT: HOYTE HAS
APPLAUDED SINGH'S EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE ELECTION
COMMITTEE AND HAS EXPRESSED A DESIRE FOR SINGH TO MAKE HIS LETTER PUBLIC.)
4. THE PNC HAS COMPILED A LIST OF PROSPECTIVE
SUCCESSORS TO HOYTE AS PARTY LEADER. THE LIST OF ABOUT 12 INDIVIDUALS
INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
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-ROBERT ((CORBIN)), MEMBER OF THE PNC CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (CEC)
WHO RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM THE WEST INDIES LAW SCHOOL. CORBIN IS IN HIS
40'S;
-OSCAR ((CLARK)), GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE PNC AND MEMBER OF THE CEC;
-DR. PHILLIP H. MOZART ((THOMAS)), SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO HOYTE, MEMBER OF THE
FINANCE, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND PARTY ORGANIZATION COMMITTEES, MEMBER OF
THE CEC;
-LANCE ((CARBERRY)), SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO HOYTE, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, PNC
POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICER, MEMBER OF THE CEC;
-DERRICK (BERNARD)), MEMBER OF THE CEC, DEAN OF ONE OF THE SCHOOLS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA, FORMER MINISTER OF EDUCATION;
-DR. CEDRIC ((GRANT)), FORMER AMBASSADOR TO THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN
STATES;
-WINSTON ((MURRY)), CHAIRMAN OF THE PNC, MEMBER OF THE CEC;
-CLORISA ((REHL)), PNC FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT,
MEMBER OF THE CEC, AN ATTORNEY;
-DR. DALGESH L. ((JOSEPH)), MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, MEMBER OF THE CEC, A
SURGEON.
5. THE LIST OF PROSPECTIVE SUCCESSORS WAS CHOSEN BY A GROUP OF SEVEN
PARTY ELDERS WHO ALSO ESTABLISHED THE CRITERIA FOR SELECTION. THESE CRITERIA
WERE SENT OUT TO THE VARIOUS PNC OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND EACH
OFFICE SENT IN A NOMINEE OR LIST OF NOMINEES. THE GROUP OF ELDERS THEN
DECIDED ON THE FINAL 12. THE NOMINEES HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO PROVIDE THEIR
CURRICULUM VITAS AND WILL EACH BE INTERVIEWED BY A GROUP OF THREE PARTY
ELDERS. COMMENT: ONE OF THE INTERVIEWERS WILL PROBABLY BE DR.
TOMMY ((REID)), WHO IS THE PNC'S MOST ELDER STATESMAN.)
6. THE SUCCESSOR TO HOYTE AS LEADER OF THE PNC WILL NOT NECESSARILY BE
HOYTE'S SUCCESSOR TO THE PRESIDENCY IF THE PNC WINS THE UPCOMING ELECTION.
WITH THIS IN MIND, HOYTE WOULD LIKE TO CHOSE A STRONG PRIME MINISTER IN
ORDER TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF SUCCESSION LAID OUT BY THE CONSTITUTION AND
TO AVOID THE SCANDAL THAT ACCOMPANIED JAGDEO'S RISE TO THE PRESIDENCY.
BT
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