Guinea: Trouble in Erewhon

"An African statesman," allows Guinea's President Sekou Touré, "is not a naked boy begging from rich capitalists." On the contrary, many of his country's well-dressed officials own sumptuous villas and cars, favor French food, American cigarettes and Scotch whisky (at $18 a bottle). Conakry, Guinea's sweltering capital, has plans for two new luxury hotels—one to be built by the U.S., the other by the Russians. But 'Guinea (pop. 3,300,000), once one of French West Africa's richest countries, after five years of independence has become one of the poorest. This week, a...

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