President rubbishes claims that Carolyn Rodrigues had resigned as Guyana’s Permanent Representative at UN

Last Updated on Friday, 24 September 2021, 15:38 by Denis Chabrol

President Irfaan Ali on Friday denied that Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Carolyn Rodrigues had resigned and that she was persuaded to rescind it.

“I don’t know about Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues resigning. I have never received a letter. I appoint Ambassadors but I don’t know what is the question in relation to rescinding resignation,” he said in response to a question by News-Talk Radio Guyana 103.1 FM/ Demerara Waves Online News.

High-level sources had indicated that Ms. Rodrigues had tendered her resignation with effect December 1 because the Guyana government had opted to recall experienced career foreign service officers which she had needed to support her preparations for the United Nations General Assembly now underway in New York.

In stressing that Ms. Rodrigues was still very much on the job, the President credited her with being very active at the UNGA and “setting up” a number of meetings. “I can’t respond to something I am unaware of but what I can tell you is that Ambassador Carolyn is very actively in everything. Right now, she is sitting in the seat at the UN General Assembly,” he said.

Other missions in North American and Asia are also said to be plagued by similar concerns that the recall of foreign service officers has left the top diplomats at those posts in a quandary about what they should be doing.