Office of the Historian

192. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Jamaica1

Washington, September 8, 1979, 2220Z

236627. Subject: Decision To Eliminate FY 1981 PL–480 Program For Jamaica.

1. (C—Entire text)

2. A decision is about to be finalized to eliminate the FY 1981 PL–480 program of $9.9 million in Jamaica.

3. The decision is forced by the absolute need to include $14.1 million for Nicaragua in the FY 1981 PL–480 budget.

4. The intensely negative reaction in Washington to the statements by Jamaican Prime Minister Manley at the NAM conference in Havana has been a factor in the impending Washington decision to make the budget-forced cut in Jamaica.2

5. There would be no announcement made concerning cutting the PL–480 program in Jamaica, but information concerning the cut would become public in February 1980. The absence of a PL–480 component in U.S. assistance to Jamaica would become evident at the May/June 1980 Caribbean Group meeting. Any comments you wish to make should be received by noon on Monday, September 10.3

6. We would welcome Embassy’s views soonest on how best to inform the GOJ of this decision. For example, we might call in Ambassador Rattray to indicate our extreme displeasure over the NAM statement and Ambassador Lawrence could do the same in Kingston.4 [Page 476] Subsequently, we would inform the GOJ of the decision to eliminate FY 1981 PL–480 for Jamaica.

Vance
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790410–0404. Confidential; Niact Immediate; Stadis; Exdis. Drafted by Cooper; cleared by Warne and in S/S–O, and approved by Bushnell.↩
  2. On September 4, Prime Minister Manley gave a speech before the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Havana praising Castro and the Cuban revolution and asserting that “anti-imperialist forces were now stronger than ever in this hemisphere.” (Telegram 8126 from Havana, September 5; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790405–0772)↩
  3. On September 10, the Embassy replied, concurring with the decision and recommending the Department “go public with this action.” (Telegram 6548 from Kingston, September 10; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790413–0294) In telegram 240525 to Kingston, September 13, the Department stated that “at this time we do not repeat do not wish to link the PL 480 decision to our displeasure with Manley’s speech and its implications,” adding, “Decision to reprogram funds from Jamaica to Nicaragua was compelled primarily by Nicaragua’s more pressing requirements.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790418–0472)↩
  4. See footnote 2, Document 194.↩