Ali administration retains Carl Greenidge for Guyana-Venezuela border case

Last Updated on Sunday, 9 August 2020, 13:23 by Denis Chabrol

Guyana’s co-agent in the Guyana-Venezuela border case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been retained by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC)-led administration, Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd said Sunday.

Mr. Todd, however, could not immediately say whether Mr. Greenidge would still be the co-agent in the case that has been referred to the ICJ to determine the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award. “I won’t be able to say now but he is still part of the team and he is actively involved in the process,” Mr. Todd said.

Foreign Minister Todd said Mr. Greenidge would be “on the team” through to the conclusion of the case and the two have already had discussions. “He has already briefed me on the current position,” Mr. Todd told reporters at State House. “He is still integrally involved, We are very happy to have his service and he is very committed to the process. This is not a political issue. This is a national issue and he recognises that and he is very accommodating to us,” said Foreign Minister Todd.

On whether Former Foreign Minister Greenidge would be hired by the Irfaan Ali administration, Mr. Todd said that would depend on Mr. Greenidge and talks he might have with the President.

Over the decades, the PPPC has been on record of repeatedly castigating Mr. Greenidge for bankrupting Guyana while as Finance Minister under the then People’s National Congress (PNC)-led administration until 1992 when that party was unseated for the first time in 28 years.

Mr. Greenidge had spearheaded the International Monetary Fund- World Bank Structural Adjustment Economic Recovery Programme that had seen the divestment of many State enterprises, layoff of thousands of government employees and the devaluation of the Guyana dollar.

By the early 1990s, the economy had begun to turnaround with high single-digit growth, but still saddled with high debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio. The PPP inherited the Economic Recovery Programme with some modifications.