IN 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had $11.549 million in outstanding advances that were not cleared by employees who had received monies for traveling and other duties relating to their respective portfolios. This was outlined in the 2016 Auditor General’s report which is currently under review by the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly.
On Monday, the team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Elizabeth Harper, appeared to answer to matters flagged in the aforementioned report.
During the hearings held at Parliament Buildings on Brickdam, Georgetown, Ambassador Harper told the committee that most of the advances have since been cleared, with the exception of 10. These are all believed to be linked to the now-deceased Ambassador, Dr. Odeen Ishmael, and the execution of his duties four years ago. However, Ishmael’s family, in a statement, rejected the media reports, explaining that the reputable diplomat was known to be meticulous, especially as it relates to his dealings with government monies.
“As such, we would expect that all such supporting documentation would be in the records of the Guyana Embassy in Kuwait or Caracas, if not within the records of the ministry itself,” Ishmael’s family maintained.

The family added, “No one from the Government of Guyana has contacted the family about this issue or otherwise made them aware of this issue prior to the publication,” of media reports.
The Ishmael family emphasised that Dr. Ishmael was a decorated diplomat who served Guyana loyally from 1993 up until 2014 when he retired from the Foreign Service due to his deteriorating health.
The statement also noted the fact that Dr. Ishmael retired from the Ministry in 2014, whereas the allegations that he owed the ministry monies was only highlighted in 2016 – two years later.
“Dr. Ishmael served as the Guyana ambassador to the United States, Venezuela, and
Kuwait. He was decorated with the Cacique’s Crown of Honour and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Award for International Service. He was also recognised by the United States Congress in a joint resolution tribute upon the completion of his diplomatic service in Washington DC,” the family concluded.

Nonetheless, the ministry’s team told the Chairman, David Patterson, and other members of PAC that a formal request has been made to the Finance Secretary for the advances totaling $2 million to be written off.
However, Minister of Public Works and member of the PAC, Juan Edghill had contended that even though a person has passed on, outstanding monies owing to the State can still be retrieved by way of their estate.
Weighing in on the situation, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Madam Gail Teixeira, agreed with the actions taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to have the monies “written off”.
She; however, emphasised on the ministry’s need to address matters of outstanding monies, in a more expeditious manner. She specifically recommended that employees be made to clear all outstanding advances, before they could receive the final payments at the end of their contracted period with the ministry.
The AG’s 2016 report also highlighted inefficiencies with regard to the log books and vehicles’ historical records that are required to be submitted by various missions. The report indicated that log books were not presented for nine of 15 serviceable vehicles, while the six log books presented were not “properly written up”. As at 2019, the ministry was able to remedy the situation.