https://wikileaks.org/plusd/ca...74GEORGE02206_b.html
1. SUMMARY. AT DEC 15 RALLY PRIME MINISTER FORBES BURNHAM ANNOUNCED PLANS TO MAKE GUYANA INTO "FIRST TRULY SOCIALIST STATE ON CONTINENT OF SOUTH AMERICA". THESE PLANS INCLUDE NEW CONSTITUTIO ITO BE DRAFTED IN 1975, RIGOROUS CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PARTY LEADERS, GOVT TAKEOVER OF ALL LAND NOT IN PRODUCTIVE USE, AND GOVT CONTROL OF ALL FOREIGN TRADE. BURNHAM, WHO OPENLY STATED THAT RULING PEOPLES NATIONAL CONGRESS WAS ABOVE THE GOVT, APPEARS TO BE TAKING GUYANA FURTHER TOWARDS FORMAL ONE PARTY STATE. END SUMMARY. 1. AT MASSIVE AND CAREFULLY STAGED DEC 15 RALLY TO MARK TENTH ANNI- VERSARY OF PEOPLES NATIONAL CONGRESS GOVT, PRIME MINISTER FORBES LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
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BURNHAM ANNOUNCED MAJOR PLANS TO MAKE GUYANA INTO "THE FIRST TRULY SOCIALIST STATE ON THE CONTINENT OF SOUTH AMERICA". AFTER BEGIN- NING WITH BRIEF REVIEW OF ACHIEVEMENTS OF PAS TEN YEARS, BURNHAM REVEALED DECISIONS APPROVED BY PNC SPECIAL CONGRESS DECEMBER 14-15. PRIME MINISTER DISCLOSED THAT IN 1975 "THE PARTY, THE PEOPLE, AND THE PARLIAMENT" WILL DRAFT NEW CONSTITUTION FOR GUYANA. NOTING THAT CONSTITUTION "GRANTED" AT INDEPENDENCE HAD BECOME IRRELEVANT SINCE IT WAS "REPLICA OF ETHICS AND IDEOLOGY OF FORMER COLONIAL MASTERS", BURNHAM SAID GUYANA MUST NOW HAVE CONSTITUTION SUITED TO ITS NEEDS. LATER IN HIS ADDRESS, BURNHAM LEFT LITTLE DOUBT ABOUT NEW CONSTITUION'S PRINCIPLES WHEN HE STATED "THE PARTY COMES BEFORE THE GOVT...THE GOVT IS INFERIOR TO THE PARTY".
2. BURNHAM ALSO OUTLINED RIGOROUS CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PNC "LEADERS" MAJOR PROVISIONS OF CODE PROHIBIT PARTY "LEADERS" FROM ACCEPTING GIFTS, HOLDING STOCK IN COMPANIES, SERVING AS DIRECTORS OF COMPA NIES, RENTING OUT PROPERTY, ENGAGING IN PRIVATE BUSINESS EMPLOYING MORETHAN TEN PERSONS OR USING FOR PERSONAL BENEFIT INFORMATION GAINED BECAUSE OF PARTY OR GOVT POSITION. PARTY "LEADERS" MUST DECLARE ALL PROPERTY IN SWORN STATEMENT BY MARCH 31, 1975. FOR PURPOSES OF CODE, PARTY "LEADER" IS DEFINED AS PRESIDENT OF REPUB- LIC, PRIME MINISTER, ATTORNEY GENERAL, PNC MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, AND PARTY OFFICERS.
3.OTHER IMMIMENT HANGES ANNOUNCED BY BURNHAM INCLUDE GOVT TAKEOVER OF ALL PRIVATE LANDS NOT IN PRODUCTIVE USE, GOVT CONTROL OF ALL FOREIGN TRADE, ABOLITION OF FEES AT UNIV. OF GUYANA EFFECTIVE NEXT SEPT, AND INSTITUTION OF COMPULSORY COURSES ON COOPERATIVE SOCIALISM IN SCHOOLS. PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT DETAILS OF THESE DECISIONS WOULD BE MADE PUBLIC SOON, AND THESE CHANGES WOULD BE EMBODIED IN "DECLARATION OF SOPHIAZ SHORTLY TO BE RELEASED. IN CLOSING HIS ADDRESS, BURNHAM SAID HE LOOKED FORWARD TO REPORTING TO THE PEOPLE AFTER TEN MORE YEARS OF PNC RULE.
4. BURNHAM'S BRIEF COMMENTS ON REYNOLDS TAX/NATIONALIZATION DISPUTE REPORTED SEPTEL. 5. COMMENT. ANNOUNCEMENT OF DRAFTING OF NEW CONSTITUTION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF CODE OF CONDUCT ARE MAJOR STEPS IN PRIME MINISTER
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BURNHAM'S MOVE FROM PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY WHICH HE INHERITED IN 1964 TO ONE PARTY STATE. NEW CONSTITUTION WILL MOST LIKELY SET UP INSTITUTIONS OF ONE PARTY STATE, AND CODE OF CONDUCT IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE DISCIPLINED, COMMITTED, SOCIALIST LEADERSHIP. BURNHAM'S OPEN STATEMENT OF PARTY SUPREMACY OVER GOVT WILL UN- DOUBTEDLY PROVOKE OPPOSITION FROM VARIOUS PARTIES AND GROUPS, BUT AT THIS POINT NONE APPEAR ABLE TO OFFER SIGNIFICANT RESISTANCE.
6. IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF CODE OF CONDUCT ON PNC IS NOT YET CLEAR. IF CODE IS STRICLTY ENFORCED SEVERAL MINOR FIGURES IN PARTY INCLU- DING MOHAMED KASIM, MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE, WILL BE FORCED TO GIVE UP PROPERTY OR BUSINESS INTERESTS IN ORDER TO RETAIN THEIR POSITIONS. OTHER LEADERS WOULD ALSO BE EMBARRASSED BY PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THEIR PROPERTY HOLDINGS.
