Latest update March 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 03, 2010 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom
One would have to presume that given the length of time that he has been a diplomat and given the portfolios that he has held, Ambassador Odeen Ishmael must be considered one of Guyana’s foremost diplomats.
Ambassador Ishmael was appointed to the diplomatic corps following the PPP election victory in 1992 and handed the most important diplomatic assignment at the time – to head Guyana’s mission to Washington.
Given the situation at the time and the historic nature of relations between the US and the PPP, the appointment had to be carefully considered and the then President, Cheddi Jagan, must have had enormous confidence in Dr. Ishmael to hand him such a critical assignment. He has justified that faith and has performed expertly.
Ambassador Ishamel was to later be given another major assignment, being Guyana’s point man to the all-important Caracas mission and also being Guyana’s representative on the Organization of American States (OAS). Guyana has made a great deal of waves with Latin America under Ambassador Ishmael, who has been outstanding at the mission and also in his work within the OAS.
Given his record and experience since the PPP came to power, it came as a surprise to learn that this senior diplomat is now being carted off to Kuwait as part of Guyana’s opening of a mission to that country and an expansion of its wider Middle Eastern diplomacy.
There are two possible interpretations. Firstly, that through the assignment of such a senior diplomat, Guyana is signaling the seriousness of its Middle East diplomacy.
This is not an argument that will have many takers because in as much as Guyana may be serious about the Middle East, there is not much for Guyana to benefit economically from that region, and political considerations are no longer as important to Guyana as they were in the past.
As such the second reason is that Ambassador Ishmael may be given a less taxing assignment at this stage of his career. But why such a lowly assignment as Kuwait? When a country is establishing a diplomatic presence with a country which is of little strategic importance, why send your most senior diplomat? Anyone within the Foreign Service would suffice.
The implication of this posting is that someone now has to be found for the critical mission in Caracas. It is not likely that the government would risk making a non-political appointment to this post. It is too strategic and too important a mission to hand to a junior diplomat
There are also here a number of possibilities. Firstly, Ambassador Karran who previously held the Caracas post briefly may once again be considered for this position. But then that would leave the all-important position in Washington, which again would most likely be filled by a political operative.
What all of this is pointing to is the possibility of a mini shake-up (by now all hopes of any major shake- up in the administration would have been dashed by experience) within the PPP government. It is known that a ministerial position has to be created for the party’s potential presidential candidate, and this could see someone being given the boot and retired to diplomatic service. That person may be the one to fill the diplomatic vacancy that has now arisen.
Alternatively, there may already be some political appointee outside of the upper echelons of the government identified for one of the top diplomatic postings.
Whatever the outcome, do not expect an early end to the script. There are also protocols to be observed in these matters. It is usual for a country to first gain the consent of its appointee before making any announcement public and countries to which ambassadors have to be posted usually require time to screen the nominees before signaling acceptance.
So there may be still some waiting before it is made public just who will be our man or woman in Caracas. It all adds to the intrigue.
Listen to the man that is throwing Guyanese bright future away
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