Aug. 7, 1978- Paula Adams Homepage
- I asked what he thought of Mingo. He s[ai]d he didn’t know him except to say hello. He s[ai]d “I do know he is a weak minister. He relies too heavily on the opinions of civil servants.” He s[ai]d, “He is very weak in compassion to Desmond Hoyte and Hubert Jack who I know very well.”
- When I s[ai]d I know you had your hand in this clean-up campaign. He s[ai]d nothing in response directly to my statement, but said, “The Prime Minister feels he was let down because it was he who put them there in the first place.” He s[ai]d, “Noel was always a shifty public servant but he was energetic and capable.” He s[ai]d. “The problem was that people are underpaid and when they see a way to make a few dollars to supplement their income, they take it.” He s[ai]d, “You watch there will be a hundred more arrests.” He s[ai]d the P.M. is embarrassed because all over the world people are talking about the corruption in the government.
- One of the reasons Mann is hurrying back to Washington is because of on Thursday he has to sign some agreement, for either trade or a loan.
- From what I can tell, Guyana is getting a number of loans this year: IMF, World Bank, and Caribbean Development Fund. In addition, they are still working on contracts for various projects such as the hydropower project.
- On the way to the airport, Mann s[ai]d, “you know on this trip I realized something which I’m only going to say once and need to say once about us. If anything happens to Juliet (his wife) and I, I’d marry you in minute. I am not an easy person to get along with and yet you were always there to get me water, pack my poker bag. You know my moods, I’m not a highly sexual person. I can’t lay in bed all day. I like to be around people. I don’t like to talk at times. I don’t like to talk when I’m reading. You understand me and understand me moods. That means a lot to me. I’m dead serious. I would marry you.” I didn’t say anything (with great control). I think this was the eulogy to keep me from going out on him while he is gone. He added, “You know I wasn’t tempted even once. I’m very happy with you.” I know for a fact he tried to make it with a woman who is staying at the Palm Court. it was verified later by Raihon Cheong (Neil’s wife) who said he didn’t get anywhere with her.
Even though I think this fidelity and marriage bit is a maneuver to keep her from going out on him. He is more preoccupied with having me dressed a certain way when we go out and acting in a certain way (in a dignified manner) and because my wardrobe is not elegant enough for him, he asked for my sizes so he can get the kind of clothing I should wear when I am with him. His usual remarks are, “Take off that cheapy cotten thing, I don’t want my wife looking like that.” I don’t think this is a gambit for marriage, but it is a change from his usual comments that Peoples Temple should buy that for you or you work for that big rich organization and they can’t even buy that for you. The point I am getting at is that I think we are in a better position for asking him about things and to do things for us. He is probably after my “inheritance.”
- Skip Roberts’ dad s[ai]d he really admired Vincent Hinds. He s[ai]d look where the man was (meaning jail) and what he’s done for himself. He s[ai]d the man is really bright. Everyone in the room s[ai]d he will be next to be charged. Mann s[ai]d he was the one who got the job for Hinds when he came out of prison because he is such a genius with machinery and the Min of Agri (which Mann was the permanent secretary for at the time under Dr. Reid) needed some equipment put in. He s[ai]d he had V.H. taken on and he got a call from the P.M. who s[ai]d he hoped he knew what he was doing. The P.M. s[ai]d, “I am not stupid, and he knocked me (means robbed).” So Mann went to Reid and told him what the P.M. s[ai]d but Reid s[ai]d to go ahead and take him on. Mann s[ai]d he made it so Hinds never got his hands on money and he worked out fine. I don’t know if Bertie Anderson kept the same reins on Hinds that Mann did.
- Barbara Cheong, Neil’s daughter, told Raihan Cheong, who then told me that Mann is not well liked in his embassy. Everybody is afraid of him because if they aren’t doing their job or are inefficient he will either yell at them or fire them. Barbara works at the Wash. Embassy.
- Neil Cheong doesn’t seem to be the least worried so I doubt that he was involved in any of these bribe cases. Sky Roberts’ dad is his close friend and today Lloyd Barker called him up and asked to come over and have a chat. About what, I don’t know, but from what I can gather it was just one of many friendly visits they make to each other’s houses, but I could be wrong.
They told a story about one of Barker’s close friends who Barker saw everyday. The friend got into some kind of trouble and telephoned Barker. Barker s[ai]d he would have to go through the normal procedures and he couldn’t help him. Everyone agreed Barker was a man like that. If you get locked up, he won’t even help his friends they said.
- The Prime Minister is a man who works very late. He has called Mann more than once between 10 and 12 p.m. for information about various things. He is very much personally involved in getting one of his pilots to his helicopters (that crashed) the best of medical attention. He wants Mann to get him into Walter Reed Hospital. Mann s[ai]d they won’t take anyone except Heads of State because they are so overworked. Mann s[ai]d he tried to get some lab work done there and he can’t get past the red tape. The P.M. s[ai]d, “Do it.” The P.M. has called Mann twice about it and one time called him to the residence to discuss it. The pilot’s rank in the GDF isn’t very high so Mann was pessimistic about getting him in but the P.M. isn’t taking no for an answer.