Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett named Permanent Representative to United Nations

Former Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has been named Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Rodrigues served as a Member of Parliament from 2001 to 2015. She served as Minister of Amerindian Affairs and then Minister of Foreign Affairs.

When the PPP lost government in 2015, she took up a job with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) serving at its office in Geneva, Switzerland, with her latest position being that of Director.

Rodrigues-Birkett started her career in 1989 as a school teacher in Georgetown, Guyana. From 1995 to April 2001, she was Coordinator, Social Impact Amelioration Programme (SIMAP), responsible for coordinating the Amerindian Programme funded by the Inter-American Development Bank.

From 2001 to May 2015, she served her Government in different positions: from April 2001 to April 2008, she was Minister of Amerindian Affairs (Indigenous peoples); in April 2008, she was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and held this position until May 2015.

At the same time, from 2001 to 2015, she served as Member of Parliament, representing the constituency of Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo.

She joined FAO in September 2015, as Coordinator, Parliamentary Alliances in the Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development Division (OPC).