PNCR says not embarrassed over Jonestown tragedy
Stabroek News
December 4, 2004
The PNCR has no reason to be embarrassed about the Jonestown tragedy, as Jonestown in the Port Kaituma area was "just another agricultural settlement", the party said in a statement.
In the statement, which PNCR MP Jerome Khan read at the party's weekly press briefing held at Congress Place, Sophia on Thursday, the party said that the permission granted to the group of American citizens under the leadership of Jim Jones of the People's Temple, to settle in Guyana's hinterland to pursue agricultural development, was part of the PNC's stated policy for hinterland development.
November 18 was the 26th anniversary of the Jonestown tragedy in which some 900 people died by mass suicide/murder.
The party said that like other groups such as West Indians from London and from the Caribbean islands, Jim Jones' group was granted land to settle in Guyana. "The PNCR had nothing to do with their financing, logistics, training or their religious or philosophical beliefs."
The statement said that it was also known at the time that the group had concerns about the US administration and it was a visit by a US Congressman to the country, who was killed, which became the catalyst for the tragedy. Quite correctly, the statement said, the PNC government called on the US government to honour their commitment to their citizens.
The statement added that volumes have been written and researched on this tragedy and much more may be available to the Americans who do not take lightly the death of their citizens.
The PNCR's statement was in response to remarks Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Clement Rohee made on the Jonestown tragedy on a television programme recorded by NCN on November 20.
According to the PNCR, the party leader, Robert Corbin was invited to the recording after 3 pm on Friday, November 19 when he was attending a funeral. The statement said that Corbin's secretary immediately contacted NCN and informed them that Corbin would be leaving the country over the weekend.
"No sane person would believe that it (the recording) was planned on Friday afternoon with the intention of having the Opposition Leader present on Saturday morning. The management of NCN ought to be aware that they are managing state resources and not those of the PPP/C," the statement added.
The PNCR has written the management of NCN on the matter with the expectation that the television station would apologise for the "misinformation" conveyed to the public on the matter.