PPP/C Chief Whip Gail Teixeira on Thursday warned that government can expect litigation if it did not fulfill contractual requirements of diplomats appointed during her party’s tenure in office.
“I am sure, honourable member, that the matter would end up in court because I think it is unthinkable to think that people sign contracts, serve our country and because of a change of government those contracts and obligations are not being honoured,” Teixeira told Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge.
She was at the time questioning him about payments for diplomats whose contracts preceded the APNU+AFC coalition government, which was elected into office last May.
Teixeira led the scrutiny by the opposition when the Committee of Supply met to consider the estimates for Capital and Current expenditures for the ministry.
“Their benefits or whatever part of their contractual arrangements that some of these Ambassadors and High commissioners were owed, I am asking, have these all been addressed as of today?” she questioned.
“Have the contractual obligations of the persons whose contracts came to an end, when you told them ‘Come home early and finish yuh contract,’ were those contractual agreements honoured? That is what I am try to get explained,” she further probed.
Greenidge said that the government has no obligation to pay benefits where a contract expires.
“Where the contract has people being retired and cases of those whose contracts entitled them or they thought they were entitled to six months’ salaries, we don’t recognise that as being part of the staff obligations…the Cabinet is going to review those matters with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs…I am satisfied and our lawyers are satisfied that we have not infringed the rights or liberties of any of the heads of missions,” he said.
Arguing that the former envoys should be paid, Teixeira said, “You have a situation where government changes, contractual issues. I know some of the people who were involved and who were recalled, sir… I know that they receive phone calls telling them that to come home, they can continue their contracts,” she stressed.
“If a new government comes in and brings a new policy, it can’t retrofit it. It has to be for the future and, therefore, there are contractual arrangements and obligations that might still be outstanding for some of these persons, who, in all honesty sir, served this country well. I don’t think any of them were a bad applicant sir. They all served this country diligently and, therefore, their contractual agreements should be honoured,” she added.
Another former PPP/C Foreign Affairs Minister Clement Rohee asked Greenidge if government can consider adopting a bipartisan policy for when choosing its foreign envoys and was told that no ideas were going to be ruled out.
Teixeira also questioned the reduced figures of staff at the New York Consulate, from 48 to 36, saying that office shows the highest volume of diaspora traffic. “When you cut the staff there, I am disturbed because the Guyanese there look to the Consulate General for service…I know the Guyanese flock there …they want things done,” she said.
Greenidge said that his government recognises the New York consulate as integral and the quality of service matters. He said, however, that the most complaints have come from New York and a senior officer has been dispatched to have a service audit of the overall running of the New York Consulate.
“When we finish the exercise of examining what services will be needed as part of the diaspora police, then we will also have to decide if whether the mix with the 15 is right or we may have to modify the numbers,” he noted.
Greenidge also explained increases in some line items this year, saying that under the listing ‘Other’ for line item 6284, some $200M will go towards legal fees for local and international lawyers in preparation to lay Guyana’s border case with Venezuela. He, however, said he believes the money is not enough.
When money to purchase office equipment and furniture for foreign missions came up, Teixeira asked if local furniture would be bought as she believed the occasion could be used to showcase Guyana’s craft and skills.
Greenidge said no but explained that the matter would be revisited as from experience the weather conditions in some country destroyed the materials used to make local furniture and décor.
Teixeira also said that she was concerned about the small amounts for the Foreign Affairs Ministry. “I am very concerned about the numbers in your budget… the deduction in your numbers worry me because I believe your ministry is the window of our country and plays a critical role in establishing… our national interests… when I look at some of your line items, I am concerned why you seem to suffer reductions or some miniscule increases,” she said.
