Foreign Affairs Ministry revamps
−Director post to now be replaced by PS
DPI, Guyana, Monday, December 2, 2019
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has appointed Charlene Phoenix, as its Permanent Secretary with effect from 2nd December 2019. Ambassador Phoenix who initially joined the Ministry in 1996, has served as the Director of the Department of the Americas since 2016 and as Guyana’s Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) since November 2017.
In a press statement released today the Ministry stated that among other things, the designation of Director General will be replaced by that of Permanent Secretary as obtains in other Ministries.
The Government has recently undertaken several administrative actions to ensure greater efficiency in the discharge of the core mandate and essential functions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a critical moment in the nation’s history.
Ambassador Audrey Jardine-Waddell who previously served as Director-General within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from June 2015, has proceeded on a period of annual leave pending reassignment. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recognized and expressed its appreciation to Ambassador Waddell for her service as Director-General.
The press statement also highlighted that a decision has been taken to bring an end to the services of several Heads of Missions, particularly those who might have served for an extended tenure of duty beyond the official limit. The term of an Ambassador runs to approximately three to five years. However, for a variety of reasons and factors, some of Guyana’s Ambassadors have been abroad for as long as two decades.
It was noted that the situation has become an hindrance to other younger and rising Foreign Service Officers whose performance and professional competence might require that they should be appointed to the summit of the Foreign Service. A subsequent announcement will be made on this particular matter.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it expects with the release of the statement and on-going exercise within the Ministry any concerns and surmising and or misrepresentations that may have arisen in the public domain concerning this normal administrative undertaking will be allayed.