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Consul General’s visit was above board – St. Maarten govt.
The St. Maarten government has joined the local administration in defending the recent visit of Consul General, Michael Brotherson, to that island to conduct business.
According to St Maarten, the consular activities of Brotherson were executed in total conformity with procedures on the basis of a request by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana.
Consul General, Michael Brotherson
“As a country, St. Maarten is obliged to treat consular officials of other countries with courtesies and protection afforded to all such personnel on the basis of the Vienna Convention,” a statement from that Government said yesterday.
Brotherson, the current Consul General for Guyana in Barbados, recently visited that Dutch territory to conduct passport renewals and other routine consular work. There are over 5,000 Guyanese reportedly living there and badly in need of services.
Guyana has reportedly moved to have a permanent consul posted to that island.
Brotherson’s visit was questioned by the St. Martin News Network, an online new website managed by Bibi Hodge-Shaw, a Guyanese. An article posted Sunday questioned whether Brotherson was there with the knowledge of the Guyana Government.
The article said that Brotherson conducted consul business in a hotel room and collected cash for his services, raising the attention of members of Guyanese association there. The blog also questioned whether there may have some sort of money laundering involved since the cash collected was allegedly not declared. The reporter stood by her story on Tuesday.
The St. Maarten Government yesterday insisted that in the absence of a consular representative of Guyana on that island, Brotherson was given full authorization by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana to conduct consular duties; representing the interest of the Guyanese residents on St. Maarten.
“The St. Maarten Government regrets that our country’s name is being tarnished by irresponsible blogging.”
The “falsehoods” contained in the story could have seriously jeopardized the relationship between Guyana and St. Maarten, that Government said.
The Guyana Government has already warned Hodge-Shaw that legal actions could result from the post. On Tuesday, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Brotherson followed protocol.
Reporter, Bibi Hodge-Shaw
“The Council of Ministers has been informed of this communiqué and further action is possible. A breach of the Vienna Convention is a serious issue and the Government of St. Maarten will not accept that any individual or group compromises the name of St. Maarten for personal reasons,” St Maarten said in the statement.
St. Maarten, a Dutch overseas country located next door to St. Kitts and Nevis, stressed that due diligence was followed in the matter.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana has issued a statement that all consular fees, as fixed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana, were processed in accordance with the financial regulations of the Government of Guyana, with the required Government receipts issued.”
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