In a leaked letter, the Minister of Foreign Affairs complaints of an attempt by a Canadian Diplomat to topple the sitting Government. Handell Duncan reports.
At least two online media houses have published aspects of a letter that Minister of Foreign, Minister Carl Greenidge sent to the Canadian High Commissioner, Lillian Chaterjee. The letter comes afterMission Security Officer at the Canadian High Commission, Richard Beliveauescorted former Member of Parliament Charrandass Persaud, to the door of a LIAT plane, just after he voted against the Government, in that No-Confidence motion. Opposition Member, Peter Ramsaroop also aid in the process. It was at the Eugene F. Corriera International Airport that the Canadian Official sought and received protocol passes to escort Persaud to the Plane.
Persaud holds dual citizenship. He is a citizen of Guyana and Canada.
In the letter which was leaked to the press, Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister stated that it is the view of the Guyana government that the unilateral act of the Canadian High Commission official was a violation of the Geneva Convention and on diplomatic and consular relations.
In the News Source article, it was stated that “the evidence suggests that the High Commission and by extension, the sending state, are complicit in an attempt to overthrow a sitting government which was democratically elected”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Public Diplomacy Department, told Nightly news today that it was unaware of the contents of the letter that was forwarded to the High Commissioner.
However, Minister Greenidge outlined in the letter that the Ministry is unaware of any consular functions which the Canadian High Commission official, Beliveau, was performing at the date and time in question.
It was also stated in the online report that Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Lillian Chaterjee, was summoned to a meeting this week. She confirmed this.
On Thursday, the High Commissioner was approached by reporters for comment on the issue.
