Pres Ali hails Elisabeth Harper as Guyana’s ” finest foreign service official ever”

…as trailblazer diplomat laid to rest

Showered with praises and admiration for her unwavering dedication to her nearly five-decade-long trailblazing career in the foreign service and her incomparable humility, Guyana, on Friday, bid farewell to one of the country’s most revered and finest diplomats, Ambassador Elisabeth Anne Harper.

Government officials, politicians, diplomats, colleagues, associates, friends, relatives and other loved ones all gathered on the lawns of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) to pay final respects to Ambassador Harper before she was laid to rest at Le Repentir Cemetery in Georgetown.
A career diplomat with almost five decades of service, Ambassador Harper died at the age of 67 on Saturday, after a period of illness. At the time of her death, she was serving as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Reflecting on her service to the country, President Dr Irfaan Ali, in his tribute at the service, described Ambassador Harper as an outstanding all-around diplomat who has left behind an unmatched legacy, especially in the foreign service.
“Guyana has lost its finest foreign service official ever. And I’ve lost a friend and someone whom I’ve had the highest respect and regard for,” the Head of State posited.

He noted that Ambassador Harper was an all-rounder, having worked in almost every department at the Foreign Affairs Ministry during her long, illustrious and distinguished career there.

Diplomatic instinct
According to the President, she possessed technical excellence and a competence that could not be questioned, especially on issues like those relating to Guyana’s sovereignty. He noted that these qualities did not just define her approach to diplomacy but allowed her to earn the respect of colleagues and foreign emissaries alike and to advance Guyana’s national interest with unmatched effectiveness.
“Liz was a quiet architect who built the foundation upon which our public diplomacy stood tall… Liz was the hidden face of our public diplomacy. She was always in the engine room of our foreign relations, ensuring that the machinery ran smoothly and with precision…”

“Liz had what can only be called a diplomatic instinct. Based on her years of experience and her deep understanding of the people she dealt with, she knew when to press an issue and when to bide her time for the right opportunity. She read rooms, she read people, and she read moments with accuracy.
Her instincts served Guyana well in the most delicate of encounters, including in matters relating to our frontiers. She was our institutional memory. Her unparalleled institutional knowledge was matched only by her tireless dedication,” President Ali stated.
The Head of State added that Ambassador Harper was a hands-on person, as he recalled their late-night work sessions at overseas forums and overwhelming workload, which did not deter her from showing her known “special human touch” to colleagues and associates.

Pillar of institutional knowledge
President Ali also highlighted her commitment to regional integration, which had earned her the respect of regional leaders and even lucrative offers, which she declined in favour of serving Guyana. He also reflected fondly on her passion for cricket and her ability to calm tense moments with quiet reassurance.
“She was a pillar of institutional knowledge. She was a living archive of our diplomacy, a walking repository of knowledge when it came to the history and stored documentation of Guyana’s foreign policy. Liz was unmatched… Liz did not see the foreign Ministry as a job but as a calling to serve our country at every hour and with every effort and without hesitation. For Liz, the foreign Ministry was not just a place of employment. It was her life. She gave 100 per cent of herself to its work. You could call Liz at any hour of the day or night – and we did – and she would be ready to respond. She got things done, and this was a hallmark of her commitment and dedication,” the Guyanese leader said.
Tributes also came from Ambassador Harper’s family members during Friday’s funeral service, with her husband, Mark Harper, a former cricketer, recalling simple moments spent together.
“I will miss her immensely. I will miss our sharing of meals together, sitting on the bed with our laptops, watching a movie [or], of course, looking at cricket… She was my inspiration during my cricket and coaching career… I never knew that she would leave us so quickly, but I’m eternally grateful she left us quietly and peacefully, and we were all with her in the end,” Harper stated.
According to Harper, his wife’s dedication and humanity shone most when she would distribute meals to persons working within the Ministry on holidays like Christmas Day. He added that in addition to assisting elderly persons, Ambassador Harper was a fierce advocate and supporter of women’s empowerment and had even sponsored many of their education.
“This gave her a huge satisfaction and fulfilment. I believe she was God’s hands and feet here on earth… So even as Liz’s light has gone out in our world, we are assured that it will continue to illuminate the hearts and minds of all those whom she touched in so many ways,” the husband of the late ambassador said.

Wonderfully human
Meanwhile, Ambassador Harper’s granddaughter, Kaia Boodhoo, delivered the eulogy at Friday’s service, in which she spoke about the woman outside of diplomacy.
“Many of you knew her as Ambassador, DG or PS. Some of you simply called her ‘Liz’, but to us, she was Mom and Granny, and to me, she was my ‘Busy Tissy’. I called her that because, as many of you know, scheduling time with her was sometimes impossible – even at home, because Elisabeth’s work was never truly done…”
“But beyond the accolades, she was wonderfully human. She couldn’t boil rice too well. She would sneak off with me to drink Coke and eat chocolate… She was so proud of her Fabergé egg collection – one from every country she visited, and she made everything special… Granny, you’ve done your job, and you did it phenomenally, and although it hurts so deeply to let you go, you can rest knowing I’m so proud of you, so proud of the life you lived [and] so proud to call you my grandmother,” she said.
Boodhoo ended her eulogy with a final lesson that Ambassador Harper would want to be passed on, that is, to live a life of service and kindness, to be patient and always make time for loved ones, and to always trust in God. “That is how she lived, and that is how she would want us to live,” Boodhoo stated.
Meanwhile, in an emotional tribute, Ladeca Chrystal Grant, a Foreign Service Officer at the Ministry who served as her Personal Assistant, also recalled many moments shared with Ambassador Harper, describing her as an inspiration who has left an indelible mark on the lives of everyone she touched.
“As a boss, she made her team feel not like subordinates, but like family. She rarely gave direct instructions to her staff. Instead, she would ask with her gentle, thoughtful manner, ‘Crystal, would you be able to do it for me?’. We would always laugh afterwards and respond, ‘Of course, PS, anything for you. You’re the boss.’. Her humility, consideration, and warmth made even the simplest requests feel like moments of connection rather than duty. She would often apologise for early mornings, late nights, and weekends, but I never minded. It was simply more time spent with her,” an emotional Grant declared.
Ambassador Harper joined the Foreign Ministry in 1976, serving in several positions with distinction until she climbed to the top of the Foreign Service ladder. In 2011, she was bestowed with one of Guyana’s most prestigious National Awards, the Golden Arrow of Achievement, for her long, dedicated and distinguished service in the Foreign Service.