Guyana accuses Canadian High Commission of being complicit in attempt to overthrow Government

In the strongly worded letter, Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge fired off at the Canadian High Commissioner over the involvement of the High Commission's Consular Officer in escorting former Member of Parliament Charrandass Persaud, who is a Canadian citizen, to the airport and to the stairs of a LIAT plane, the morning after his no-confidence vote against the Government. 

Guyana accuses Canadian High Commission of being complicit in attempt to overthrow Government

Details of the letter dispatched to the Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana are being revealed and point to the Guyana Government accusing both the High Commission and Canada itself of being complicit in an effort to topple the government.

In the strongly worded letter, Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge fired off at the Canadian High Commissioner over the involvement of the High Commission’s Consular Officer in escorting former Member of Parliament Charrandass Persaud, who is a Canadian citizen, to the airport and to the stairs of a LIAT plane, the morning after his no-confidence vote against the Government.

The Foreign Minister said the Consular Officer had no official reason assist the exit of Persaud following his vote against the Government he served.

According to the Minister, it is the view of the Guyana government that the unilateral act of the Canadian High Commission official was a violation of the Geneva Convention and on diplomatic and consular relations.”

He added that “the evidence suggests that the High Commission and by extension, the sending state, are complicit in an attempt to overthrow a sitting government which was democratically elected”.

The Foreign Minister noted that his ministry is unaware of any consular functions which the Canadian High Commission official, Mr. Beliveau, was performing at the date and time in question, adding that the ministry is also unaware of any threat made on the person of Charrandass Persaud that would require Mr. Beliveau to exert “consular protection”.

Additionally, the Foreign Minister said there were several acts of omissions by the diplomat and those are believed to have been part of the plan “to bring down the sitting government.”

The Canadian High Commission official was also accused of being in the company of known criminal elements in Guyana, while he offered protection to Charrandass Persaud.

It is believed that outside of the Canadian High Commission official and PPP Advisor Peter Ramsaroop, at least two other men who have been linked to death squads in the past, provided security escort for Charrandass Persaud to the Airport.

Earlier this week, the Foreign Minister summoned the Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Lillian Chaterjee, to a meeting at his office and made known the government’s concerns to her in person.

The Canadian High Commissioner has refused to comment on the escort of Charrandass Persaud using resources of the High Commission and its diplomatic clout and she has also refused to offer comment on the meeting with the Foreign Minister.

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