VZCZCXRO2967
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHGE #0293/01 0812025
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 222025Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4933
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/TSA HQ WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GEORGETOWN 000293 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECIN EAIR CARICOM GY
SUBJECT: Foreign Policy Decision-Making in Guyana and CARICOM--A 
Time-Consuming Maze 
 
Ref: A) 06 State 188799, B) Georgetown 206 
 
GEORGETOWN 00000293  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) In late November 2006 post delivered a Diplomatic Note to 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) proposing an arrangement for 
the deployment of armed Federal Air Marshals (FAM) on flights 
between the United States and Guyana to bolster counterterrorism 
efforts in the region (ref A).  Despite multiple conversations by 
phone and in person with a range of players in several ministries 
and the Office of the President, the attempt to get a formal reply 
from the government initially seemed fruitless.  This despite the 
fact that President Jagdeo told the DCM in early December that 
concluding an FAM agreement was a priority for him that he wanted to 
see completed within two weeks.  Eventually, on February 14, the GoG 
agreed to take part in the Federal Air Marshal Program.  The journey 
of the Diplomatic Note from one government office to another offered 
insight into the maze that constitutes foreign policy 
decision-making within the administration, a journey that can best 
be characterized as long and winding with a detour to CARICOM.  End 
Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Take the By-way to Caricom and Start All Over 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) After post delivered the FAM diplomatic note to Guyana's 
MFA on November 21, a Diplomatic Note from Guyana's MFA dated 
December 5 indicated that a response would be forwarded to the U.S. 
Embassy "shortly."  On December 7, President Bharrat Jagdeo told the 
DCM he was in favor of setting up a FAM arrangement and said that if 
the Embassy did not hear from the MFA in two weeks to let him know. 
By the middle of December, calls to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
indicated that the Diplomatic Note was with Dr. Roger Luncheon, Head 
of the Presidential Secretariat in the Office of the President.  In 
early January, subsequent calls to the MFA revealed little progress 
but did generate a series of questions from the MFA:  Have any other 
CARICOM countries been requested to take part in the FAM 
arrangement, or are any existing arrangements in place in the 
region, etc. 
 
¶3. (SBU) By January 22, the MFA received the Diplomatic Note back 
from the President's Office and told EconOFF that they were 
preparing a response.  Later in the week, MFA Director General 
explained the latest delay to the DCM:  There is an understanding 
among CARICOM members that they inform and consult with each other 
before entering into any agreements with third countries.  That 
consultation was in process, and the cut off point for replies had 
passed.  Now the MFA would consult again with Luncheon to get 
permission to move forward.  This was one week after Luncheon told 
the DCM that he had sent the FAM issue back to the Foreign Minister 
for action, and two weeks after the Permanent Secretary in the 
Office of the President Dr. Nanda Gopaul confirmed again that the 
President was in favor of the agreement and had instructed the 
Minister of Home Affairs to conclude the issue. 
 
------------------ 
We're Almost There 
------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) During a January 30 telephone conversation with the DCM, 
Ambassador Harper raised the issue of the FAM arrangement. 
Frustrated yet optimistic, she said, "I'm still trying."  Even with 
apparent concurrence of GoG officials, the journey of the FAM 
Diplomatic Note was not yet complete.  Two weeks later, almost three 
months after the original request, Guyana's MFA delivered its reply 
Diplomatic Note signing on to the Federal Air Marshal Program, 
becoming the first in the Caribbean to do so. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Intra-Government Communication Snag 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) A few weeks later in early March, EconOff organized a 
meeting with visiting TSA representatives to review the procedural 
protocol for the Federal Air Marshal program with GoG Civil Aviation 
Authority, Customs, Police, Airport and MFA officials. During phone 
conversations to the various invitees it was clear that the MFA had 
not informed any of these critical players of the agreement or their 
role - even though the agreement became effective more than three 
weeks earlier.  The first working day after that meeting, the MFA 
attendee requested a list of the meeting participants so she could 
send them official notification of the FAM program. 
 
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Comment 
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GEORGETOWN 00000293  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Although the final result was positive, the process 
provided an interesting glimpse at the government's circuitous 
decision-making course, shedding light as well on foreign policy 
coordination with CARICOM. And, after all the delays, it's striking 
that none of the implementers within the government had been 
notified or appeared aware of the agreement at all. On the bright 
side, in a hollow government, a hollow clearance process makes 
perfect sense. 
 
ROBINSON