Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd on Wednesday used his maiden presentation in the National Assembly to rap the former Coalition Government for “its failure” on foreign policy and international relations.
Todd, speaking during the ongoing budget debates, said the APNU+AFC administration used its last two years in Government to dismantle political, economic, and social structures both locally and abroad, bringing mayhem to bear on the country.
He recalled that the APNU+AFC administration held on to power illegally when it failed to call elections after a No-Confidence Motion was successfully passed in the National Assembly against the Government in December 2018.
But with a new Government in place, the Foreign Minister said Guyanese can expect a rebuilding of the good relationships that were broken with international partners because of the illegitimacy of the Government at the time coupled with its poor foreign policy.
“Most [international partners] removed themselves from the Government because of the political crisis…many felt they were illegitimate and put a hold on engagements but these days are long because the international community is queuing to re-engage with Guyana. We have aggressive policies to revitalize and deepened diaspora engagement,” the Foreign Minister said.
Todd told the House that the APNU+AFC is now in the Opposition because they lacked competence and efficiency to get the job done but noted that the new PPP Government will restore the vigour in the Foreign Ministry and “put it back on the regional and world map.”
Todd said too that from all indications, the Coalition lacked the capacity to negotiate, win and maintain friendships and partnerships in the region and further afield.
“Their public diplomacy was lacking, all they did was trips around the world for fun, coming back with nothing to say but attendance. That does not help the people of Guyana, you have to come back with workable solutions… but we will rebuild broken relation with foreign partners and friends,” Todd told the House.
The Foreign Minister said the PPP Government is preparing for massive growth and development and has a strategy in place for the next five years that aligns itself with its election manifesto.
