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THE NEW AMBASSADOR

Sep 14, 2008 Editorial

It is traditional when a new government takes office for there to be sweeping diplomatic changes.
Those who are political appointees within the diplomatic corps fully appreciate the tenuous nature of their employment.

Any change in administration could ultimately see them losing their jobs as has happened not only in the case of Guyana, but even in the United States of America where career diplomats dominate that nation’s Foreign Service.

Even, however, with a large and tested established pool of career foreign service diplomats to choose from, there will always be certain diplomatic postings which must be filled by key political figures.

This happens all over the world as it did in 1992 when the new PPP/C administration made sweeping diplomatic changes by posting non-career diplomats as ambassadors and High Commissioners to the United States of America, Venezuela, the United Kingdom, Canada and later Brussels.

The transition was not made smooth but very few could question the right of the government to determine the country’s foreign representatives. Guyana has not appointed a non-career diplomat to Brazil for some time.

It thus must have come as a surprise to political observers, as well as to the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when it was announced that the Minister of Housing and Water, Harrinarine Nawbatt is Guyana’s nominee for the post of Guyana’s Ambassador to Brazil.

We are not told what will be the fate of the present Ambassador who has considerable experience within the Foreign Service. We are also not sure just when this new appointment takes effect.

It is equally not clear whether Mr. Nawbatt is being moved because of the need to upgrade relations with Brazil or whether his imminent posting has been occasioned by the need to have some changes within the Housing Ministry.

Whatever the case, the posting to Brazil of a political appointee represents a significant development, and one that is all the more surprising considering that Mr. Nawbatt was seen as someone who had the trust and confidence of his colleagues in the government, including the President.

He first came to the public limelight as an accountant in the former Guyana Airways Corporation and later took over the headship of the Social Impact Amelioration Programme.

He has been credited with the discovery of the new Foreign Minister, Ms Carolyn Rodrigues who worked under him at SIMAP. He will not have the task of reporting to her in his new assignment.

He subsequently left SIMAP to head the Poor Rural Communities Project, an appointment which signaled confidence in his ability to manage community development projects.

The experience gained from working on infrastructure and social projects in both SIMAP and in his succeeding post, no doubt tilted the balance in his favour when it came to a choice for the position of Minister of Public Works.

This appointment took place in 2001 after President Bharrat Jagdeo was elected as President. In 2006 he was appointed as Minister of Housing and Water. Mr. Nawbatt has clearly therefore never held any insignificant job over the past twenty years.

It is also noteworthy that having been a member of the Central Executive of the People’s Progressive Party for a number of years, Mr. Nawbatt did not seek re-election during the recent Congress. It is not clear whether he made this choice because he was aware that this posting was in the making.

We are sure that Mr. Nawbatt, the dedicated public servant that he has always been, will serve Guyana to the best of his abilities. We wish him well as we wait the naming of his successor.

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