By Ariana Gordon

GUYANA’s Foreign Service, once described as broken, is now gradually being repaired as the Government of Guyana works assiduously to regularise and restructure the operations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, during a recent interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), described his first year in the office of Foreign Affairs Minister as one focused on “steadying the ship”.

According to Greenidge, May 2015 to May 2016 has also been a period of capacity building, to ensure the Foreign Service is where it needs to be.

Upon entering office last May, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government discovered several limitations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: capacity deficit, shortage of professional diplomats at the ambassadorial level, the absence of coherent policy (Foreign Service Policy); and moreover, the new administration was forced to protect and defend strongly its territorial integrity, due to threats posed by both Venezuela and Suriname.

Venezuela has renewed its claim to Guyana by stating that the 1899 Agreement was null and void, while Suriname resurfaced its claim to the New River Triangle.

According to GINA, since taking office, the APNU-AFC Coalition Government has been able to improve Guyana’s image, and notwithstanding the threats faced, the year-old administration has committed to advancing talks with both Venezuela and Suriname.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs told GINA that the damage done to the country’s Foreign Service over the years was occasioned because the former administration had not viewed the Foreign Service as important.

“I think the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was of the view that — Dr Jagan in particular, and subsequently both Mrs (Janet) Jagan and Mr (Bharrat) Jagdeo — that a Foreign Service really was an unnecessary expense; that you could get any set of people to carry out a foreign policy; and all you needed were those persons who are sociable, who can go and chat with a President here, a Prime Minister there,” he explained.

As such, there was an immediate need for that culture to come to an end. To that end, 15 new ambassadors have been appointed to serve Guyana overseas. They are required to command respect from the international community, and restore confidence in Guyana.
All of the newly appointed ambassadors, the Minister of Foreign Affairs noted, have experience and qualifications that are essential to realising the administration’s economic thrust.

MERIT
“Before (previously), diplomatic postings were filled by political ‘faithfuls’; the new administration’s emphasis has been on merit as well as experience (technical, negotiating and diplomatic) as a basis for staffing the posts,” Minister Greenidge explained.

Accordingly, he said, changes will be ongoing at the Foreign Affairs Ministry to ensure that the Government and people of Guyana benefit significantly from those who are sent abroad to represent the country.

He noted that the nonchalant behaviour of the former administration relative to Foreign Service resulted in much ‘eye pass’ coming to Guyana.

“Venezuela Presidents have come here (in Guyana) and having been royally entertained and feted; and they leave, and sometimes before they leave the Office of the President, we have had instances of armed people, including parliamentarians and civilians, coming over our borders, or people being shot at (and being) arrested,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

He said, too, that the APNU-AFC administration could not follow the failed policies and approaches of the previous administration.

The Foreign Affairs Minister believes that one of the most important initiatives that have been achieved by the Government is its defence of the country’s territorial integrity. The continued threats by both Venezuela and Suriname to the country’s territorial integrity have led to the announcement of a Total National Defence Policy. Notwithstanding, Guyana has called for a juridical settlement to the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy.

Successful meetings have been held at the level of the United Nations since Venezuela’s renewed claims to Guyana.

EXTENDING FOREIGN TIES
The minister said Guyana will soon establish in Geneva a diplomatic mission that will serve to enhance Guyana’s trade. Its establishment in Geneva will ensure that Guyanese officers who coordinate trade across the Caribbean bloc are on site and are involved in the processes.

In the past, the capacity of the foreign aids was constrained. Those who will be appointed to work there will be required to work with Swiss officials, as the office there will serve as a bilateral one.

Guyana has not worked much with the Swiss, and efforts will be made by the appointed officers to develop relations with Swiss officials.

That aside, the GINA feature stated that the administration has begun “deepening cooperation” with other South American countries, with the aim of taking advantage of its strategically located position within Latin America, the Caribbean and further afield.

REBUILDING CAPACITY
Given the shortfall discovered by the APNU-AFC Coalition Government since taking office, the capacity to effectively execute the country’s foreign policy priorities is being remedied. The administration is currently compelled to hire qualified and experienced persons who will serve in Guyana’s interest locally and abroad.

Given the new policy employed by Government with respect to Foreign Service, much emphasis has been placed on investment and trade matters. The revival of the Foreign Service Institute has also been identified as critical to building the capacity of the Foreign Service staff. The institute would now not only guide the development of professional skills, but the programmes delivered would also guide the implementation of a foreign policy that is in keeping with the new emerging world environment.

Guyana and CARICOM
The administration has continued its push to ensure that CARICOM becomes a stronger entity, and as such, $60M have been earmarked in the 2016 budget to clear some of the arrears owed and accrued over the past five years to the CARICOM Competition Commission.

Guyana found itself before the Commission a few years ago when Trinidadian Cement Company (TCL) complained of unfair competition practices. The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruled in favour of Guyana.

Additionally, Guyana continues to partner with its CARICOM sister states in several areas of mutual benefit. Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Belize are just a few examples of the countries Guyana has turned to in the areas of infrastructural development and trade, to name a few.