Ambassador Elisabeth Harper remembered as trailblazing diplomat, mentor

From a gem of a person to an outstanding career diplomat who broke glass ceilings, Ambassador Elisabeth Harper was fondly remembered on Tuesday evening by her former colleagues, subordinates and other officials as they reflected on her journey, humility and lasting impression both professionally and personally, when the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry hosted a Night of Reflection in her memory.

Ambassador Harper died at the age of 67 last Saturday after a period of illness. She was serving as Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Ministry at the time of her death.
Since then, scores of tributes have been pouring in, and it was no different at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Tuesday evening, with persons such as former President Donald Ramotar declaring that the country has “lost a gem who was a fun person to work with in addition to being a professional.”
He recalled working and travelling with Ambassador Harper during his tenure in office, from 2011 to 2015, during which he noted they had some successful negotiations abroad.
“One of the last negotiations she had with me, in January 2015, was on our visit to India when we negotiated [funding for] the road that had just been completed from Ogle [East Coast Demerara to Eccles, East Bank Demerara]… We negotiated the ferry from Georgetown to the Northwest area, and then we also negotiated on the campus at UG (University of Guyana, Turkeyen), the IT Centre given to us by India. Our idea was to try to make that the best in South America. So, we had very, very close relations at that time in working on those issues,” Ramotar recalled.

Public service career
Ambassador Harper began her public service in 1976 as a clerk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She rose through protocol, Latin America and Caribbean Affairs, served as Counsellor in London, then Director of the Americas and Asia, and Director-General. She also served as Guyana’s Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
With decades of foreign service behind her name and an unblemished character, Ambassador Harper was selected to run alongside President Ramotar as the Prime Ministerial candidate for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) at the 2015 General and Regional Elections, and though they did not win, she returned to the Foreign Service under the then A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Administration and continued to serve even up until her death – something for which she came in for high praise.

Breaking glass ceilings and a symbol of inspiration
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd hailed Ambassador Harper for helping to “break glass ceilings” within the Foreign Service through her outstanding performance in every role she held. He noted that she provided an anchor and stability for his ministry.
“I was happy to have her on the team when I assumed duties in 2020 when she became my principal advisor. We felt that we needed her brand and her quality to be part of the structure… So for us, her legacy will live on. We will always reflect on her stewardship, and we will always benefit from her wisdom. So, even though we say goodbye to her…rest assured that Guyana will continue to benefit from her leadership and stewardship,” Minister Todd stated.
Also delivering remarks at the Night of Reflections was Prime Minister Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips, who said that the late Ambassador is a symbol of inspiration for younger diplomats, especially women, and for all who believe that serving one’s country holds profound meaning.
In reflecting on her passing, PM Phillips said her achievements as a remarkable career diplomat who devoted nearly fifty years to the service of Guyana and the Caribbean region must be celebrated. He added that her legacy extends far beyond her achievements, highlighting her humility, professional integrity, and the respect she commanded across political and diplomatic lines.
“Elisabeth Harper’s impact was broad and significant. That the highest offices of the land, neighbouring countries [and] our international partners all mourn her loss speaks volumes about the kind of person she was. Yet, the measure of her life remains in the path she paved for younger diplomats, especially women who would follow, for Guyanese who believe in public service as a noble calling and for those who understand that representing one’s country on the world’s stage requires both strength and humility,” the Prime Minister noted.
The PM’s views were mirrored in brief remarks made by the British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, who reflected not just on the late Ambassador’s dedication and service but also on her warmth and genuine love shown to everyone she interacted with.

“We’ll miss her voice of experience in diplomacy. She was someone who understood the mechanics of foreign policy but understood more than that; it was about the deep purpose of protecting sovereignty and about the development of regional cooperation and a fair voice for smaller states at international forums. And we’ll also miss her as a mentor…of us and the public servants. She believed in doing things well and doing them quietly and not always seeking the limelight,” the British diplomat remarked.

Honour a legacy
Apart from serving as the Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Ministry at the time of her death, Ambassador Harper also held another critical role – Guyana’s co-agent in the border controversy case with Venezuela that is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Former Foreign Affairs Minister and Guyana’s current Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, described Ambassador Harper as her “anchor” in important decisions, including getting the border controversy case before the World Court.
Similarly, two of Ambassador Harper’s colleagues on Guyana’s legal team for the border controversy case – co-agent Carl Greenidge and lead lawyer Paul Reichler – also reflected on the role she played.
Greenidge, also a former Foreign Minister, said Ambassador Harper, like in everything she did, stood out in her work on the ICJ case, which she was put on after returning to the Foreign Service in 2015.
Meanwhile, Attorney Reichler recalled working with Ambassador Harper extremely closely for over 20 years on various matters close to Guyana, including on sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“It is a huge loss for our legal team. We’ve now lost two Guyanese giants from this remarkable team – Liz Harper and [Sir Shridath] “Sonny” Ramphal. The best way for us to honour them is by deepening our own determination to achieve the goal that Liz and Sonny wanted most to attain – to win a judgement at the ICJ that the Arbitral Award [of 1899] that determined the boundary with Venezuela is valid and binding, and that the Essequibo belongs to Guyana now and forever. In their noble names, we will fight harder than ever until this historic legal battle is won, and Liz and Sonny can be remembered as the ones most responsible for Guyana’s victory,” Attorney Reichler asserted.
Among those who also delivered tributes in the memory of Ambassador Harper were Caricom Secretary General Dr Carla Barnett, Retired Colonel Joe Singh and several other Guyanese diplomats currently serving abroad.
The funeral service for the late Ambassador Elisabeth Anne Harper will be held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Friday at 10:00h.