The role of a ‘Special Envoy’

Sir Paul Reeves on his time as Special Envoy to Guyana

When Secretary-General Don McKinnon appointed me Special Envoy to Guyana, he said I would make only a few visits. But between 2002 and 2006 I visited Guyana 14 times. The life of a Commonwealth Special Envoy is not predictable. A prolonged political impasse between the two major political parties has scarred the political landscape of Guyana of recent years. In late 2002, following a request from President Bharrat Jagdeo, the Commonwealth Secretary-General appointed me Special Envoy to Guyana.

My initial mandate was to promote dialogue between President Jagdeo and the leader of the opposition, Desmond Hoyte. But I was determined to ensure that such a dialogue did not substitute for, or undermine, the legitimate democratic framework. I kept on insisting that the parliament had a prime role in the life of Guyana and that dialogue should take place within the parliamentary framework.

While I was bringing the two political parties together to talk, I was able to use my role as Special Envoy to encourage debate within Guyana about what democracy really could be. I encouraged people from across the political spectrum to consider afresh the rights and responsibilities of government and opposition. The political process was prised open, giving new faces a chance to take part. Training in public administration was provided to the Electoral Commission, National Assembly, and even the media.

There is a new transparency in the way the government works. The defensive attitudes of old are giving way to ways of working that invite citizens to be part of their government. Through persistence and fairness, I came to be accepted as an ‘honest broker’. I was seen as a source of impartial and respected advice, and was regularly quoted in the media and even in parliamentary debate.

I regularly met not only with key figures in government and opposition, but with members of civil society, the protective services, representatives of the international community, and the media. One reporter regularly accused me of interviewing her more than she interviewed me. I travelled widely throughout the country because it was crucial to understand that the concerns of the capital are not necessarily those of the hinterland, and that in order to influence political leaders one must demonstrate a thorough knowledge of their country and society. It would have been easy to have been fobbed off with a “you don’t understand the situation” if I had spent all my time sitting in a Georgetown hotel room.

Parliament began to work noticeably better, and the Opposition returned. An inclusive and issues-focused new political party emerged during the 2006 election run-up, offering greater pluralism in political views and new choices for Guyanese voters. A Media Monitoring Unit was set up for the election under the auspices of the Commonwealth, with major media outlets signing up to a Media Code of Conduct and promising not to report statements that incited racial hatred.

That the election went so well is a tribute to the patience and hope of ordinary people in Guyana. Their chosen representatives must now live up to the challenge of entrenching peace and achieving the democratic and economic security that Guyana deserves. Although the elections were the most peaceful in 40 years, ongoing distrust, general insecurity, and allegations of politically motivated violence and murder remain major concerns. The Commonwealth continues to monitor events and provide support and advice to Guyana.

* Special Envoy Sir Paul Reeves is a former Governor-General and Archbishop of New Zealand.