https://wikileaks.org/plusd/ca...74GEORGE01076_b.html
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9916 INFO AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN AMEMBASSY KINGSTON AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN C O N F I D E N T I A L GEORGETOWN 1076 E.O. 11652: XGDS -2 TAGS: PINT, PINR, GY SUBJECT: MCLEAN NAMED DIRECTOR GENERAL OF GUYANA NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAM REF: GEORGETOWN 0964
1. ACCORDING TO PRESS RELEASE FROM OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER, NORMAN MCLEAN, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, WILL BE FIRST DIRECTOR GENERAL OF NATIONAL SERVICE. GUYANA DEFENCE FORCE (GDF) MAJOR DESMOND ROBERTS ALSO HAS BEEN NAMED AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. MCLEAN AND ROBERTS APPOINTMENTS COME AT TIME WHEN FINAL PREPARA- TIONS ARE BEING MADE FOR INTIAL INTAKE OF VOLUNTEERS FOR NATIONAL SERVICE (REFTEL). PRIOR TO THESE APPOINTMENTS, ELVIN MCDAVID AND GDF MAJOR DAVID GRANGER HAD PLAYED LEADING ROLES IN ORGANIZING BEGINNING OF NATIONAL SERVICE. MCDAVID REPORTEDLY WILL REMAIN AT NATIONAL SERVICE SECRETARIAT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS TO ENSURE SMOOTH TRANSITION AND GRANGER WILL RETURN TO POST WITH GDF.
2. COMMENT: MCLEAN IS CAREER POLICEMAN WHO HAS EXPERINCED UPS AND DOWNS WHILE SERVING WITH POLICE. HE HAS MANAGED TO RISE TO POSITION OF ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER DESPITE ALLEGED PARTICIPATION IN BEATING OF PRISONER, AUTO ACCIDENT, AND REPUTED INVOLVEMENT IN AUTO PARTS RACKET. HE IS NEVERTHELESS GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE COMPETENT POLICEMQN AND GOOD ADMINISTRATOR. WHILE MCLEAN IS
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LOYAL TO PRIME MINISTER FORBES BURNHAM AND RULING PEOPLE'S NATIONAL CONGRESS (PNC), HIS APPOINTMENT AND APPARENT REMOVAL OF MCDAVID AND GRANGER MAY REPRESENT DEGREE OF DE-POLITICIZATION OF NATIONAL SERVICE. MCDAVID AND GRANGER HAVE REPUTATIONS AS IDEOLOGUES AND ANTI-EAST INDIAN RACISTS. MCLEAN, ALSO AFRO- GUYANESE, IS LESS WELL KNOWN, LESS IDENTIFIED WITH PNC, AND LESS CONTROVERSIAL. HE SEEMS FAVORABLY DISPOSED TOWARD U.S. MATTHEWS CONFIDENTIAL