British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn, who was slated to leave Guyana in August this year, has been granted an extension in his tenure.
British High Commissioner Greg Quinn will continue as the UK’s representative until 2020
The British envoy was appointed back in 2015. He was expected to resign this year, but on Thursday, the diplomat informed that his tenure has been extended until 2020, making it a total of five years. Quinn said he looked forward to the extension.
“The powers that be in London have decreed that I should stay in Guyana until August 2020. I am more than happy to do so. It has been quite a ride since I arrived in February 2015. I look forward to my remaining time here,” the High Commissioner explained.
Looking back at the past four years, Quinn believes he did everything he should have done when his input was necessary.
“I make no apology for anything I have said or done. Everything I have said I believe needed to be said. Everything I have done, needed to be done. I do not apologise for telling the truth and I will continue to do so in my remaining time here,” he declared.
Quinn’s diplomatic life commenced back in 1995 when he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Later in 2000, he joined the British High Commission in Ghana in the Public Affairs Department before being appointed as Deputy Head of Mission of the British Embassy in Minsk, Belarus in 2004.
In 2007, he undertook duties as British Consul General in Basra, Iraq and as First Secretary for the Middle East.
The diplomat was then appointed as Head of the United Nations Political Team in 2009 and Deputy Head of Mission of Britain’s Kazakhstan embassy in 2012. Four years ago, he replaced his predecessor, Andrew Ayre as the local British envoy.
Throughout his stint, Quinn has been vocal about issues which might cause implications for Guyana and other nations.
After the passage of the no-confidence vote that took place on December 21, 2018, he posited Guyana’s Constitution was supreme while informing that the clock was ticking. At that time, a civil society group was urging President David Granger to announce a date for polls.
Diplomatic ties
In recent times, apart from strengthened diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom, other countries have forged positive ties with Guyana.
In March, Sarah Ann Lynch and Tebogo Motshome were appointed as Ambassadors for the United States and Botswana respectively to Guyana.
In May, the President received letters of credence from Ebu Jones, accrediting him as the new Surinamese Ambassador to Guyana to improve their bilateral relationship through initiatives for sustainable development. Marichu Mauro was later accredited to represent the Philippines.
