Greenidge says leaked privileged information a breach of national security

Nov 19, 2021 News

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….as Todd exposes unfamiliarity with Foreign Affairs Ministry

Kaieteur News – Advisor on Borders, Carl Greenidge has condemned the releasing of a letter he wrote to Head of State, saying it was a breach of national security. He said too that a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Hugh Todd has exposed his unfamiliarity with which the ministry operates.

The charges are being leveled against the ministry and Todd by Greenidge, who in response to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs missive justifying its retention of ‘experts’ the coalition administration had shunted. The Ministry had cited specifically, Trishala Persaud and Donnette Streete but according to Greenidge, both of the individuals “were integrally involved prior to Minister Todd’s appointment and have continued to be involved. In addition and as to be expected, both the Legal and Frontiers Departments of the Ministry have traditionally been integral parts of the process regardless of Governmental changes.”
This, he said, “demonstrates how unfamiliarity with all the events or less than assiduous and careful research can give rise to the very problems which the letter cites.”
With regards the leaked letter, Greenidge said “the charitable view is that whoever publicized my letter is too naïve to appreciate the negative implications of leaking privileged information at any time, but especially when Guyana is engaged in the ICJ (International Court of Justice) process. “

Alternatively, he suggested “On the other hand, it’s possible that someone was prepared to breach national security in order to score petty personal points. In any event, this leak was both reckless and reprehensible.”
With regards his original complaint lodged with the President since April 7, last, Greenidge said measures were subsequently taken by the President and his team to resolve the issues that were raised.
The Ministry in defense of its actions, which led to Greenidge complaints to the President, had suggested that the coalition had ignored experts on border affairs in assembling the ICJ team
According to the Ministry, “none of those persons joined the local team at their own bidding.”
The Ministry said, “…they were each identified and invited by Minister Hugh Todd, to lend their support to this preeminent national effort and their involvement has the full support of His Excellency President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali.”
Advisor on Border Affairs, Greenidge in his formal complaint to the Head of State, had given Ali an ultimatum, namely to remove Minister Todd from the management of the case, among other demands.

The information documented in a letter by Greenidge to the President outlined grievances and infighting, involving Todd and Minister of Governance, Gail Teixeira in addition to Guyana’s Ambassador to Suriname, Keith George.
The Ministry however, is adamant that Minister Todd, “recognised that the local team previously assembled under the APNU/AFC administration did not include some key persons who have years of professional knowledge on the Guyana/Venezuela controversy.”
With regards Ambassador George, the Ministry in justifying his role and involvement in the preparation of the case said, George served as Head of the Frontiers Department for 12 years prior to being appointed Guyana’s Ambassador to Suriname and spent the past 21 years on matters related to Guyana’s land and maritime boundaries, but was excluded by the last administration from the team of Advisors.
Additionally, the ministry in its defense of Ambassador George said, he is “well recognised for the integral role he played in the years leading up to and ending with the arbitration that delimited the maritime boundary with the Republic of Suriname.”
With regards to Ambassador George, Greenidge had told President Ali in his missive that “whilst Ambassador George is not without skills, he is clearly not a Lawyer and in combination with Ms. (Donna) Skeete, he cannot replace…our external Lawyers and the Maritime Expert, that however seems to be the Ministers’ unstated intention.”
According to Greenidge, “no one ever suggested to me that Venezuela is Ambassador George area of expertise, but it seems his views about his preferred role, as apparently, does the Minister.”
Greenidge, the former Foreign Affairs Minister who served under the previous administration, but was retained as an advisor on the border case, had told President Ali, “my position as Agent and Advisor to the Minister is now untenable in light not only of the questioning and misrepresentations of my judgments and decisions” but in addition to other factors.
To this end, Greenidge in handing his ultimatum to the President called for video recording of the tenuous meeting to be destroyed and that his assignment be confirmed “and the reporting mechanism modified to report to yourself or the VP.”

 

 

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