JAMAICA: COMMUNIST PARTY STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06805646
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: July 25, 2019
• Case Number: F-2017-01652
• Publication Date: July 31, 1987

Approved for Release: 2019/07/24 C06805646
Directorate of
� Intelligence
.2-4,44L A
LAR 6P7-ggfJ2
Latin America
Review (u)
31 July 1987
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ALA LAR 87-018
31 July 1987
Copy
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s'gtergt
Latin America
Review (u)
31 July 1987
Page
NR Record
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ALA LAR 87-018
31 July 1987
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Jamaica: Communist Party Struggling To Survive
The Communist Workers' Party of Jamaica, demoralized by a
resounding loss in local elections in July 1986, is reported to be
considering adopting a more moderate image.
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Articles have been coordinated as appropriate with other offices
within CIA. Comments and queries regarding this publication may
be directed to the Chief, Production Staff Office of African and
Latin American Analysis
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Jamaica: Communist Par
Struggling To Survive
The Communist Workers' Party of Jamaica (WPJ),
demoralized by a resounding loss in local elections in
July 1986, is reassessing its political strategy with an
eye toward increasing its popular appeal. The WPJ,
which has never garnered more than 2 percent of the
popular vote in national or local contests since it was
founded in 1978, has suffered additional setbacks in
the past year. Consequently, its leaders reportedly are
considering adopting a more moderate image
he
party's problems are so serious that it is unlikely to
recover as a political force in the next few years. The
WPJ, however, is likely to keep its organizational
structure and small, ideologically committed hardcore
membership intact. There also is a significant risk
that the party, which has a history of violence and
reportedly maintains a substantial arsenal of weapons,
will resort to violent tactics against the ruling Jamaica
Labor Party (JLP) and its supporters to exert political
pressure as the national election aoornaches
Declining Fortunes
The WPJ has experienced accumulating problems,
since its poor showing in the parish council elections
last year. The party fielded a record number of 14
candidates, but it lost all the races and polled fewer
than 2 000 votes islandwirle
he beating
has caused dissension among party leaders and the
resignation of numerous party activists and other
members. WPJ membership reportedly has dropped
from more than 1,000 last year to about 200, causing
income from dues to decline proportionately.
Although we believe the membership figure last year
was artificially inflated by relaxed membership
criteria, the drop still has been significant.
Strategy To Regain Ground
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seeking to broaden the party's appeal without
jeopardizing its Marxist principles. Specifically,
the party has made
mistakes in rejecting religion, seeming to pay greater
attention to the Soviet Union than to Jamaica, and
failing to criticize the murder of former Grenadian
leader Maurice Bishop.
the party was not ready to corn
local elections last year.
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-Seeret-
he party has
begun a public relations campaign designed to counter
these problems and, in particular. to dispel the
antireligion image. the WPJ
has asked several leftist clergymen to persuade their
congregations that Marxism and Christianity arc
compatible. In addition, party leaders reportedly arc
trying to project a new "open- image, speaking
frankly in public about problems and emphasizing
their intention to be less secretive about the party's
plans and future activities
the party can make headway by launching a
popular education drive, penetrating trade unions, and
demonstrating against the Seaga government. The
WPJ reportedly continues to hold political education
classes in the Kingston area and monthly meetings for
prospective party members, while targeting
revolutionary youth and local tradu . unions for
membership the WPJ is
having only limited success in recruiting party
members among university students but has made
significant inroads in trade unions. Historically, the
JLP and the leftist-leaning People's National Party
(PNP) led by Michael Manley have derived
considerable political support from their affiliated
trade unions.
greater cultivation of organized labor also can help his
party.
that about 450 sugar workers�at
the urging of the WPJ--are seeking to be represented
by the University and Allied Workers Union
(UAWU), a WPJ-affiliated union.
We believe the
party will try harder to encourage protests as the
national election which must be called by December
1988, nears.
Despite its efforts to project a more responsible image,
the WPJ continues to resort to illegal means to help
finance party operations. Members of the party's
Action Committee
commit robberies and participate in marijuana
trafficking
-Seer41,�
maintain a substantial arsenal or weapons to support
its criminal operations.
Outside Communist Suwon
he WPJ's
traditional Communist benefactors�the Soviet
Union, Cuba, and North Korea�have reduced their
financial support in recent years, probably in response
to the party's poor electoral showing and the PNP's
good chance of winning the next election
despite Soviet disappointment in the party's
performance. Moscow continues to provide the WPJ
and its associated trade unions with about $50,000 in
cash per year, plus material support, including airline
tickets and vehicles.
the Soviets probably have not provided
funds to the party since its electoral defeat a year ago.
Havana had traditionally provided financial aid and
training to the party, but the WPJ's criticism of
Havana's role in the 1983 coup against Grenadian
leader Bishop prompted Cuba to half most if not all
its support
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�Secret-
Outlook
We judge that the WPJ stands little chance of making
major political gains on its own over the next few
ycars
will not run a parliamentary candidate this year to
avoid splitting the left and hurting the PNP's chances
of defeating the ruling party. Even if Seaga were to
wait until 1988 to call an election, we believe the WPJ
would not be in a significantly stronger position to run
candidates
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the WPJ will
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Oiler unofficial, discreet support to the PNP in the
elections. Munroe probably believes that WPJ would
have more for opportunities for expansion under a
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Manley v
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The ruling party,
already has used this link to its
advantage by condemning Manley's party for its
affiliation to the WPJ. Unless the WPJ succeeds in
moderating its image, the public's perception of close
ties to the WPJ almost certainly would be a political
liability for the PNP. Given the party's poor political
prospects, it probably will increasingly revert to the
kinds of sporadic violence, particularly shooting of
JLP supporters, that marked the national I
1980.
Reverse Blank 29
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