Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon has sharply criticised the decision by U. S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt to implement a governance project or aspects of it, under the auspices of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), despite strong objections by Cabinet.
Addressing the issue during a television interview, Dr Luncheon said that the matter was engaging the highest levels of government in no uncertain terms.
“This issue is an affront to Guyana’s sovereignty,” the cabinet secretary said.
He said it is essentially a challenge by the U. S. ambassador to ignore Cabinet’s disapproval, and implement elements of the project, not in any guise of having a discourse on the matter, but just to inform the government through the media of what position has been adopted by the American authorities.
“That is what at this point occupies the minds of the presidency and Cabinet,” said Dr Luncheon.
He said the U. S. ambassador’s resort to the media, in this case the Stabroek News, to declare his intentions of pursuing the project despite government’s position, borders on the “grossest disrespect and abuse of his diplomatic presence”.
Dr Luncheon said that all other “antecedent events” about the project can now be considered moot.
He insisted that the views by some sections of society that the governance project should be entertained and even implemented due to its perceived importance are not the main issue.
“Cabinet made a decision, a definitive decision, that is where the matter ought to have ended,” said Dr Luncheon.
The USAID project was not approved by Cabinet and this was formally indicated to the relevant authorities on October 26, formally.
Unconfirmed reports later indicated that the USAID project activities were being implemented and Cabinet wrote to the U. S. ambassador, requesting clarity on the matter, reported the Government Information Agency (GINA).
On December 19, a meeting was convened among President Donald Ramotar, Dr Luncheon and Ambassador Hardt. It was noted by Dr Luncheon that, “The ambassador was not categorical in affirming to the president and myself that yes, indeed, I have received confirmation of Cabinet’s disapproval, not withstanding which the American authorities have indeed continued to implement elements of the project.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has been mandated by Cabinet to ascertain if indeed the statements made by the U. S. ambassador are true as have been attributed to him.
