Greenidge likely to be in charge of border affairs at Foreign Ministry

Last Updated on Tuesday, 7 May 2019, 21:09 by Writer

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge is expected to take up an appointment that would see him being responsible for border matters, but the major sticking point appears to be whether he would be given powers to make binding decisions on behalf of the Guyana government, sources said.

The sources said a decision on Greenidge’s future role in the government could be forthcoming this week, after he holds another round of talks with President David Granger.

Greenidge could not be reached immediately for comment.

Sources said office space has been already identified for Greenidge at ‘Takuba Lodge’, the building at South Road and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive that houses the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

According to the sources, the issue is whether Greenidge’s new portfolio would allow him to make decisions on behalf of the Guyana government.

Greenidge is the former Second Vice President who was named as Guyana’s representative at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which has been asked to declare that the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award of the land border between Guyana and Venezuela is final and binding.

Greenidge resigned his ministerial post and as a lawmaker last month, after the Guyana High Court and Guyana Court of Appeal ruled that it is unconstitutional for dual citizenship holders to be parliamentarians.

The former Foreign Minister, who has reportedly since taken steps to relinquish his British citizenship, was not present during the swearing-in of new ministers including his successor, Dr. Karen Cummings who, before her accession, was Junior Health Minister.