I READ with sadness the story of the American Democracy Project, the Government of Guyana, the US Embassy and the Opposition. My sadness is based on the fact that the United States and Guyana, much over 20 years now, have enjoyed very friendly and respectful relations, growing closer as the years went by.But now this “Democracy Project” confusion seems to be negating all these close relations and diplomatic gains won over the last 20 years, without any vital interest of either Guyana or the United States being involved. This is the queerest diplomatic incident in Guyanese diplomatic history.
This gauche situation could still be remedied with quiet diplomacy. And the elements of this quiet diplomacy could be (a) the Government of Guyana must be prepared to speak with the embassy on the Project. (b) The US embassy has to meaningfully discuss, with the Guyana Government, the Project Document and to make adjustments to those parts of it which could arguably be not in consonance with the Guyana Constitution and its Conventions. (c) The US Embassy has to use its diplomatic skills to exorcise the widespread perception that it has been manoeuvred into the Opposition camp and also, if possible, to restrain Opposition personnel from bragging about the contacts and conversations they have had with the highest embassy officials. (d) The US Embassy could have consultations with the Opposition, but these must be positive and open and this could do damage control and expel the perception of confabulations with the Opposition and being manoeuvred into their camp. (e) The US embassy must emphatically reiterate that it has no intentions of interfering in Guyana’s internal affairs. This could be done immediately since it is standard diplomatic relations. (f) All parties in any way involved should only communicate to the media by way of media releases. This could prevent inadvertent or planned media misunderstandings.
If this is done, the project could be saved; the diplomatic skills of no one would be impugned and Guyana-US relations would be back on the rails in unruffled equilibrium.
J. J. FORDE