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Was diplomatic protocol breached in affording Freddie information?

Jul 05, 2008 Letters

DEAR EDITOR:
In his July 3, 2008 Kaieteur News feature article, Freddie Kissoon wrote: “Minister Rohee has left a permanent stigma on his political coat, because he refuses to explain why the US Embassy denied him any form of visa for six months.

I know the reason, thanks to a very good diplomat at the Embassy who became a friend of mine (he has since left).
His condition is that I must never reveal the reason, only if Mr. Rohee agrees that I can write about it”.

If it is true that a diplomat at the US Embassy disclosed confidential information to Mr. Kissoon, as is implied, then this is both amazing and disturbing on several fronts.

Did this diplomat breach diplomatic protocol, or, more importantly, US laws on confidentiality of information?

Some months ago, the Canadian Prime Minister had to apologize to Senator Barak Obama, because someone in the Canadian Embassy in Washington disclosed information relating to him that was discussed in confidence.

And in the US, a senior staff of the Vice President’s Office was convicted for disclosing the name of a CIA officer. As well, in the US case, a journalist was jailed for not disclosing the source of the confidential leak.

This matter should be of concern to all Guyanese, whether they are supporters or critics of Mr. Rohee.
Can an ordinary citizen who applies for a US visa feel secure that his/her confidential information will not be disclosed to a third party?

It should be of even greater concern to the President of Guyana and the US Ambassador to Guyana, as they work to maintain cordial relations between the two nations.

Handling of the Guyana file by the US Embassy in Guyana in the 1960s when the PPP was in government is now apt to create suspicion in the minds of current PPP Government leaders.

On another level, Mr. Kissoon is a known advocate of Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation in Guyana. A few weeks ago I wrote that Protection of Privacy and FOI legislation go together, hand in hand.

This matter points to a cross-jurisdictional problem that could arise in applying such legislation. Politicians as well as journalists would have to tread carefully when such legislation is enacted.
Harry Hergash

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