Following an organisational restructuring, career diplomat Charlene Phoenix has been named the new administrative head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while five overseas mission heads are to be replaced.
Phoenix, 49, holds the position of Permanent Secretary which will replace the designation of Director General, the ministry announced yesterday.
Having joined the ministry in 1996, Phoenix has served as the Director of the Department of the Americas since 2016 and as Guyana’s Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) since November of 2017.
In a press release, the Ministry said that Audrey Jardine-Waddell, who served as Director General from June 2015, has proceeded on a period of annual leave pending reassignment.
Meanwhile, the release also indicated that a decision has been taken to bring an end to the services of a number of Heads of Missions, especially those who might have enjoyed an extended tenure of duty beyond the official limit.
The tenure of an Ambassador is generally between three and five years. However, for a variety of reasons and factors, some of Guyana’s Ambassadors have been abroad for as long as two decades.
According to the Ministry, this situation has become an impediment to younger and rising Foreign Service Officers, whose performance and professional competence might require that they should be appointed to the summit of the Foreign Service.
Stabroek News understands that included in the number to be recalled are Guyana’s Ambassador to Switzerland John Ford, Ambassador to Venezuela Cheryl Miles, Ambassador to China Bayney Karran, High Commissioner to Ottawa Clarissa Riehl and High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago Bishwaishwar Ramsaroop-Maraj.
Each has reportedly been informed that their last day of service is to be December 31st, 2019.
