ACTS of rigged electoral processes manifested into rippling effects in the Guyanese society in the late 1960s and 1970s.In declassified documents from the United States of America’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), it was noted that the British maintained that the principal threat to elections stemmed from the deteriorating security situation.
The document dated July 17, 1964 stated that: “They suggested that peace and order could not be guaranteed. The situation in Georgetown was particularly critical in that violence in the capital could force the postponement of elections. The British urged that Forbes Burnham, leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC), be counselled to exercise all possible restraint on his supporters in Georgetown. They noted that the London papers played up the killing of Indian children, omitting African deaths and arson.”
It added that, “The British knew the US was running Burnham’s agenda and expected the US to rein in Burnham’s covert agenda to destabalise the PPP (People’s Progressive Party) Government.”
Pictured is one of the many buildings that went up in flames during this period.