The United Kingdom’s voice for democracy was as strong in 2020 as it was in 2015 and it will remain that way, said High Commissioner Greg Quinn even as he prepares to leave Guyana.
Yesterday, Guyana Standard spoke to the envoy about some of the many criticisms leveled against Britain by thousands in Guyana regarding UK’s “interference”. Quinn said, “It is not, in our view, interference or stepping on sovereignty. It is encouraging adherence to the fundamental principles of democracy, good governance, and human rights which Guyana signed up to, being a member of Commonwealth.”
Quinn continued, “I said these things in 2015. I said it before 2015 and I said it is 2020 and I am saying it here again. I do not see it as interference, I see it as what we all should be doing to ensure all Commonwealth countries stand by the principles of Commonwealth.”
Because of his advocacy over the last five months, Quinn came in for some personal attacks by the likes of APNU+AFC activist Sherod Duncan. He told Guyana Standard that such attacks do not faze him.
Quinn said that over his 25 years in Foreign Service, he existed in jurisdictions with even more tense political situations. “I have been called worse in my life and worse have been done to me. I have not been teargassed here or harassed by the police.”
