PHILIPSBURG:--- The Government of Guyana confronted the Government of St. Maarten on an alleged breach of the Vienna Convention after SMN News published an article on the most recent visit of the Guyanese General Consul of Barbados to St. Maarten to conduct consular services.
SMN News learnt that the Government of Guyana went after the Government of St. Maarten alleging that St. Maarten breached the Vienna Convention which protects diplomats of Foreign Countries. According to one Minister, the Government of St. Maarten had to escape by informing the Government of Guyana that they are not responsible for what was published by SMN News and that they were not involved in any mal-treatment of the Guyanese Diplomat. After the article was published on Monday, the Director General of Guyana Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent an unsigned note, bearing no date and no letter head stating that they are warning SMN News that if we publish any more articles maligning their government or officials we may face legal action. The note sent to SMN News is beneath this article.
On Wednesday at the Council of Ministers' weekly press briefing, SMN News reporter asked the Prime Minister of St. Maarten if St. Maarten has full autonomy on Foreign Relations and if the Bureau of Foreign Affairs on St. Maarten establishes how financial transactions by these foreign consuls and or diplomats are conducted. Instead of answering the question posed to her by SMN News reporter, the Prime Minister lashed out saying that the Government of Guyana and the Government of St. Maarten have followed the necessary procedures and protocols to allow the diplomat of Guyana to enter St. Maarten to conduct consular services. Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams further stated that if a certain group of people has a problem with the consuls that are sent by the Government of Guyana to St. Maarten then those people need to address the Government of Guyana with their concerns and not St. Maarten. Wescot Williams said that the Government of St. Maarten will not be dragged into an issue with some nationals of Guyana residing on St. Maarten and an official that was appointed by the Government of Guyana. Wescot Williams said that the Government of St. Maarten received an official request from the Government of Guyana for a representative of the Government of Guyana to conduct activities on St. Maarten and that permission was granted. She said that is as far as the Government of St. Maarten was involved.
Wescot Williams said the Government of St. Maarten is responsible on the basis of the Vienna Convention for consular officers or officials of any country that comes to St. Maarten's shores. "We need to respect and protect the representative of that sovereign country."
It should be noted last week Wednesday when SMN News asked the Prime Minister if she was aware of the consul's visit to St. Maarten she claimed she had no idea and neither did she meet with the General Consul of Guyana who was on the island at the time conducting consular services. The Minister of Justice and Deputy Prime Minister also said he did not have any knowledge of the Guyanese Diplomat's visit.
Shortly after the weekly press briefing, the office of the Prime Minister sent out a press release on the issue, they also sent out a press release that was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana. While two releases were issued no one on St. Maarten including the Prime Minister said whether or not the Acting Head of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs on St. Maarten could grant Guyana's request without the blessings of the Netherlands.
SMN News has since taken this matter further, by informing the office of the President of Guyana of the activities that are taking place on St. Maarten by its appointed Consuls and General Consuls. SMN News also raised this issue with the Governor of St. Maarten who promised to look into the matter further. SMN News also sent the article published on its website on Monday to officials in the Netherlands since the Kingdom Council of Ministers issued a Royal Decree for the Governor of St. Maarten to conduct an investigation on integrity within the Government of St. Maarten. Several Members of Parliament also expressed concerns on the clearance the Bureau of Foreign Affairs of St. Maarten gave to the Government of Guyana and plans to deal with this matter on the floor of Parliament.
Click here to view the letter sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana to SMN News.
Press Release from the Government of St. Maarten regarding Consular Relations With Guyana.
The Government of St. Maarten has taken note of a press release by the Government of Guyana expressing its concern regarding allegations as printed in an online news blog discrediting both the Consul General to Barbados, Mr. Michael Brotherson and the Interim Director of the Department of Foreign Relations for St. Maarten. In the absence of a consular representative Mr.Brotherson was given full authorization by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana to conduct consular duties; representing the interest of the Guyanese residents on St. Maarten. Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana and the Directorate of Foreign Relations of Country St. Maarten followed all necessary protocols with regard to accreditation including due process.
The St. Maarten Government regrets that our country's name is being tarnished by irresponsible blogging. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana executed the consular activities by Mr. Brotherson in total conformity with the applicable procedures on the basis of a request. As a country, St. Maarten is obliged to treat consular officials of other countries with courtesies and protection afforded to all such personnel on the basis of the Vienna Convention.
The falsehoods contained in the story on aforementioned blog site, could have seriously jeopardized the relationship between Guyana and St. Maarten,based on articles of the Vienna Convention on consular relations .The Government of Guyana has also stated that they will issue a letter of warning to the blogger, and that legal actions could result if no heed is taken.
The Council of Ministers has been informed of this communiqué and further action is possible. A breach of the Vienna Convention is a serious issue and the Government of St. Maarten will not accept that any individual or group compromises the name of St. Maarten for personal reasons. A copy of this Press Release has also been forwarded to the Government of Guyana.
The Government of St. Maarten again stresses that due diligence was followed in the matter related to consular activities of Guyana on St. Maarten. Meanwhile the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana has issued a statement that all consular fees, as fixed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana, were processed in accordance with the financial regulations of the Government of Guyana, with the required Government receipts issued.
The Government of St. Maarten is concerned with these incidents of false "news" stories, baseless allegations, and unfounded damaging reports which circulate on this so-called news blog. While the Government of St. Maarten is all for ensuring and respecting the freedom of the press and appreciates the role the media plays in informing the public, the media too has to operate within the framework of professional and ethical journalism and respect for the rights of others.
From the Cabinet of the Prime Minister of St. Maarten
Press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to express its grave concern over an article written by Bibi Hodge Shaw and carried in the St Maarten News Network (SMN News) which has sought to discredit the Consul General of Guyana to Barbados Mr Michael Brotherson.
The Ministry wishes to inform that in the absence of a consular representative in St Maarten, Mr Brotherson was authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana to travel to St Maarten to attend to the consular needs of the Guyanese community there. This visit was made only after the necessary protocols were followed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of St Maarten.
In the article, Bibi Hodge Shaw has maligned the characters of the public servants of Guyana and St Maarten and has made unfortunate accusations that are totally unfounded.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to advise that all consular fees, as fixed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana, were processed in accordance with the financial regulations of the Government of Guyana, with the required Government receipts issued. All such revenue is remitted to the Government of Guyana Consolidated Fund. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs further wishes to advise that in a separate communication, Bibi Hodge Shaw has been cautioned that any further articles with similar content and which carry false and damaging information, will result in legal action being taken against her.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that in an effort to strengthen the relations between Guyana and St Maarten and to better serve the Guyanese community, a request was made to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for its approval for the appointment of a consular representative to be accredited in St Maarten. The Ministry is awaiting a response to this request.
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
OCTOBER 29, 2013