WEEKLY REVIEW
BURNHAM RECEIVES CLEAR MAJORITY IN GUYANESE ELECTIONS Prima Minister Burnhamare majority of the domestic vote but the newly enfranchized overseas Guyanese backed him solidly to giveeats innan parliament.
Burnham Receives Clear Hajority in Guyanese Elections
Prime Minister Forbes Burnhamlearin the electionsnd will notoalition partner when he forms the next government.
Burnhamareof the domestic vote, but the newly enfranchised overseas Guyanese backed him solidly to give his People's Nationala comfortableseats inroan National
Relations between Burnham and Peter D'Aguiar, leader of the United Force party that until recentlyember of the government coalition, deteriorated steadily throughout the campaign, and Burnham was determined not to have to rely on him again. The prime minister, in fact, made his biggest election gains at the expenae of the United Force, which lost alatost half of the voters who backed it in4 election. The United Force won only four seats and pro-Communist Cheddi Jagan's People's Progressive Party
Election d
eats. Burnham also won some votes among the East Indians, who in the past have almost unanimously supported Jagan.
parties have consistently charged that the election vas rigged against them, and are now stridently pressing their claim. The carping will further antagonise Burnham andajor nuisance to him, but in the long run is likely to have little effect. For the present at least, the Guyanese public, as opposed to the defeatedwill be eager to forget politics and turn to theholiday revelries.
Burnham is already busy planning his new government. According to Minister of State Ramphal, his trusted adviser, he intends to giveultiracial character by including non-Negroea in the cabinet and parliament, and by placing some in other high
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Dec 68
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