Ambassador Elisabeth Harper: Her Humanity was all-embracing

Sep 18, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kindly allow me to convey condolences to Mr. Mark Harper, her husband, their children, family, relatives, colleagues, co-workers, friends and thousands of acquaintances for whom the passing of Ambassador Harper has cast a shroud of sadness; but hidden beneath is a sense of profound happiness, admiration, relief and surrender to a ravaging, incurable cancerous disease.

Extensive has been the range of comments depicting the outstanding and exceptional professionalism which “Lis” embodied as the “epitome of public service”. So, it was stated in the erudite tribute by the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

That presentation of facts, flow of language and concise history conveyed in such calm yet compelling conviction, is truly a tribute from her Ministry conveying skill, style and knowledge that Ambassador Harper had successfully imparted to co-workers, for whom she was mentor, and as may need be an understanding but disciplinarian “mother”.

Elisabeth Harper’s humanity is wide, deep and all-embracing, and will remain as a golden pillar of the self-less decades of knowledge and care that “Lis” contributed to the formation, growth and development of a public service for which Guyana may truly be eternally proud.

In taking note of other tributes extended to Ambassador Harper, it was striking, and in my view, a healthy feature of our body politic that from across the political aisles, highest regard and respect, recognition of her genuine breath of appreciation of alternative views had been so openly conveyed. Above the fray of political differences, Elisabeth stood tall with a perpetual charming smile in acknowledgement of the dignity of every human person.

It was during her years as Director-General of the Ministry, 2001 -2015, when I had the honour to serve as Guyana’s Ambassador to the European Union (EU) and the African, Caribbean & Pacific (ACP) Group of States in Brussels, Belgium that I was able to draw upon “DG’s” breath of diplomatic aptitude and brilliant grasp of details in dealing with complex issues to arrive at mutually successful negotiations. These often proved successful in securing millions of development finance from the European Development Fund for the sugar sector and construction of sea defences along our coastline.

With many others, it is with profound gratitude and deepest appreciation I acknowledge an unpayable debt of inspiration, wise counsel and exemplary leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation that I bid farewell to our beloved Director-General “Lis” Harper.

Rest in eternal peace, my dear Sister, and remain with us in living memory as with our Poet Laureate, Marin Carter, let me say “Death must not find us thinking that we die.”

P. I. Gomes

Ambassador (Retd.) and former Secretary-General, Organisation of African, Caribbean & Pacific States (OACPS).

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Ambassador, Elisabeth Harper, Humanity, Mr. Mark Harper, P. I. Gomes

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