Peter D'Aguiar

Edit links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Peter D'Aguiar in 1969

Peter Stanislaus D'Aguiar (c. 1912 – 30 March 1989)[1] was a Guyanese-Portuguese[2] businessman, conservative politician, and minister of finance from 1964 to 1967.[3]

Business career

In 1934, following the death of his father, D'Aguiar became the managing director of the family business, D'Aguiar Bros. Ltd. The Guyanese business, which was involved in the production of

Pepsi-Cola in 1942.[1] D'aguiar created Banks Breweries Ltd. in 1955, which in contrast to the family business was a public company.[1] However, D'Aguiar Bros. went public in 1966 and merged with Banks Breweries Ltd. in 1969, resulting in D'Aguiar Bros. (D.I.H.) Ltd.[1]

Meanwhile, D'Aguiar formed a brewery in Barbados, Banks (Barbados) Breweries Ltd., which opened its doors in September 1961. This was made possible by the capital injection of over 3000 Barbadians who had purchased over 1.5 million shares in 1959.[4] Not before long, the two businesses in Guyana and Barbados were arguing over the "Banks" brand. After 40 years of battle, they "finally came together" in 2005, bought shares in each other's companies, and agreed to a joint export strategy.[5]

Political career

D'Aguiar unsuccessfully contested the

People's National Congress (PNC). According to the Stabroek News, "D’Aguiar’s ambition was to contest the general elections due to be held in 1961 with his money and the PNC’s masses."[6] The negotiations collapsed in late 1960.[8]

In August 1960, "Defenders of Freedom" came to the attention of

Eisenhower administration was increasingly alarmed by the prospect of a domino effect in South America after the radicalisation of Fidel Castro's Cuba, and sought to nip it in the bud in British Guiana. The U.S. soon began providing D'Aguiar's network with anti-Communist material created by the U.S. Information Agency, which was shown on Georgetown street corners without attribution.[9]

On 5 October 1960, D'Aguiar formed a new political party, the

People's Progressive Party (PPP), which won the majority of the seats in the Legislative Assembly, despite only winning a slim plurality of the votes. Nevertheless, the elections demonstrated that a D'Aguiar-Burnham coalition could win if the electoral system was changed to proportional representation.[11] Also in 1961, D'Aguiar bought the Daily Chronicle.[10]

D'Aguiar was prominently involved in the riots which rocked British Guiana in February 1962. A commission of inquiry sent by the British on Jagan's request found that D'Aguiar "seized every opportunity of attacking Dr. Jagan's government and inciting the crowds during the week of disturbances" and "intended to use every means of bringing down the government".[7] The commission also called the Daily Chronicle—D'Aguiar's newspaper—an "unashamed and remorseless protagonist of [the United Force]".[12]

I am opposed to Communism, but I think the worst thing you can do is to
give the Communists a valid excuse for a violent revolution... and these
excuses are being presented on a platter to the Communists in Guyana
— Peter D'Aguiar, The Making of a Prime Minister, January 1969

Thanks in no small part to a plot imposed on the United Kingdom by the United States, new elections

Granada Television, The Making of a Prime Minister, bewailing the fate of Guyana. D'Aguiar then retired from political life.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Banks DIH. "Our History". Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  2. ^ guyaneseonline. "Peter D'Aguiar". Guyanese Online. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  3. ISBN 9781317792260
    – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "A Proud History". Banks Barbados Brewery. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  5. ^ Pat Hoyos (April 22, 2008). "Forty years on, Banks Beer finally makes it to the U.S. mainland". Broadstreet Journal. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011.
  6. ^ a b c "Politics…TUF's trek into history". Stabroek News. 29 April 2010.
  7. ^ a b Wynn-Parry Commission (October 1962). "Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Disturbances in British Guiana in February 1962" (PDF). paras. 76–77.
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-1479795888
    .
  9. ISBN 0-8078-5639-8
    .
  10. ^ a b Wynn-Parry Commission (October 1962). "Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Disturbances in British Guiana in February 1962" (PDF). Appendix IX – BRIEF NOTES ON PERSONS WHO FIGURED IN THE INQUIRY.
  11. ISBN 080784764X
    .
  12. ^ Wynn-Parry Commission (October 1962). "Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Disturbances in British Guiana in February 1962" (PDF). para. 80.
  13. ISBN 0-8078-5639-8
    .
  14. ISBN 0-8078-5639-8
    .
  15. ^ CIA (29 August 1966). "Central Intelligence Bulletin – Current Intelligence Relating to National Security" (PDF). p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2017.
  16. ISBN 0-8078-5639-8
    .
  17. ISBN 0-8078-5639-8
    .
  18. ISBN 0-8078-5639-8
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_D%27Aguiar&oldid=1215115224"