Georgetown, Guyana — “I hope that it is not Sasenarine Singh,” Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Amanza Walton-Desir stated today, expressing dismay at recent comments attributed to Singh concerning Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) leadership. Walton-Desir, who spoke on the program Conversation with Poor People Governor, criticized Singh’s stance on the matter, suggesting that his involvement represents a breach of diplomatic decorum.
Her comments come in response to a recent letter to Stabroek News in which Singh, currently posted as Guyana’s Ambassador to Belgium, endorsed GECOM’s CEO Vishnu Persaud and criticized three opposition-nominated GECOM commissioners. Walton-Desir questioned Singh’s decision to publicly engage in partisan discussions, saying, “I hope it’s not the same Sasenarine Singh, the disgraced former CEO of GuySuCo, that failed to turn GuySuCo around and who, irrespective of his failure, was appointed as an ambassador… commenting on partisan political matters.”
Walton-Desir noted that Singh’s position as a diplomat is meant to represent the Guyanese people, not the PPP government’s views, adding that his involvement in GECOM-related discourse “defies diplomatic decorum.” She underscored the importance of neutrality in Singh’s role, noting, “As a diplomat, you are out there not to represent the PPP government. You are a representative of the people of Guyana.”
The letter that triggered Walton-Desir’s response was published on November 1, in which Singh defended GECOM’s CEO Vishnu Persaud against critiques by opposition-affiliated commissioners Vincent Alexander, Desmond Trotman, and Charles Corbin. Singh called these commissioners’ concerns “delusions of grandeur” and questioned their motives, defending Persaud as “the best candidate” for GECOM’s leadership.
Walton-Desir’s remarks broadened to express her concerns about the current administration’s foreign relations and migration policies, describing them as inconsistent and lacking in direction. She expressed concern that the government’s foreign affairs are “transactional,” driven more by the shifting positions of key leaders than by a cohesive strategy.
As calls continue for professional decorum within diplomatic roles, Walton-Desir’s criticism of the ambassador’s conduct reflects the ongoing debate over political influence within national institutions, including GECOM, and the expectations for diplomats to remain neutral representatives of all Guyanese.
