THE Trinidad and Tobago government has approved of Guyana’s request to formally have a High Commission set up in the twin-island republic, according to a source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Efforts to confirm this with Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge proved unsuccessful, while calls to the Foreign Ministry’s Director-General, Audrey Waddell, went unanswered. 

During the 37th CARICOM heads of government meet here in July, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley said his Cabinet was currently considering the application for an exchange of High Commissioners with an unnamed Caribbean country.
The Guyana Chronicle understands that after the David Granger administration came into office in May 2015, a request was made to the T&T government for stronger diplomatic ties.
Guyana currently has a consulate in the twin-island republic. That office, which is located in St Clare, is manned by Consul-General, Ernie Ross.
As Guyana’s consul-general to Trinidad and Tobago, Ross’s position is unpaid. At present, Trinidad and Tobago has no representative in Guyana.
The agreement of Trinidad and Tobago’s Cabinet for Guyana to establish a High Commission in that country would see the twin-island republic establishing one here.
Though dogged by controversy in his native T&T, Ross, a former campaign manager for Trinidad and Tobago’s United National Congress (UNC), headed by former Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, had received full endorsement by Guyana’s foreign ministry under the former PPP/C administration.
Unfortunately, the PPP/C lost its election bid in May 2015 against the David Granger-led coalition, A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).
Likewise, in Trinidad and Tobago, the UNC was ousted in September 2015 by Dr Keith Rowley’s People’s National Movement (PNM).
Although most of Guyana’s foreign representatives were recalled by the new administration, as per diplomatic protocol, Ross continues to have the confidence of this new administration.
Now that the Trinidad and Tobago government has approved of Guyana’s request, the Guyana government, according to our source, must now give official notice to the twin-island republic’s administration of the setting up said commission.