London: The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda has warned Britain that its attempts to oust the current head of the Commonwealth of Nations will divide the 54-country association.
Baroness Patricia Scotland, a controversial figure, wants a second and final four-year term as Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Her first term has been automatically extended because the annual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, CHOGM, was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Commonwealth, headed by the Queen, is a group of mostly former British empire nations that maintain economic, social development and human rights cooperation.
Allies of the baroness claim Britain is launching a ham-fisted attempt to oust her by promoting rival candidates but in breach of a convention agreed between the various geographical blocs of Commonwealth countries.
Under the convention, it is the Caribbean’s turn to have their candidate in the position for the next term, with the understanding that Africa’s candidate would take the helm in the following term.
However, in August, Kenya’s Monica Juma declared her candidacy in a move widely seen as backed by the British government which has long targeted Patricia Scotland. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said Juma, a former defence and foreign affairs secretary, would be a “consensus candidate.”
Juma is currently in London on a charm offensive to rally support for her leadership bid.
Last week, Britain’s new Foreign Secretary Liz Truss pointedly listed Juma’s candidacy as the first item of discussion during her talks with Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo.
Juma’s nomination came as a surprise as no date has been set for the next CHOGM when leaders are due to vote on the position.
The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, who chairs the Caribbean bloc known as CARICOM, wrote to all heads of the Commonwealth last week telling them to back off saying the undermining of Baroness Scotland risked dividing the union.
“It now appears that the separate regions of Africa, Asia and the Pacific have been or are being encouraged to present candidates in opposition to the current Secretary-General,” Browne wrote.
“If we are to live up to the values of the Commonwealth which we share and hold dear, we should eschew any attempts to pit our countries and our regions one against the other.
“Events we have faced in recent years have illustrated that our Commonwealth family cannot afford to be divided,” Browne warned.
Browne wrote his letter before a virtual meeting of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers on September 17 but later sent it to a wider network, including all Commonwealth High Commissioners.
The British Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
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The Prime Minister is right. I’m not a fan of Miss Patricia personally, but she should have another term. The Brits need to stop trying to run things. They have created many problems for all of us.
Y’all still kotowing n ass kissing to your enslavers.
Smmfh
Gaston Browne,do you think the leaders of Britain and Australia are going to listen to you? She,like you,should be garne by 2023.Those photos above are filled with a set of phonies. In my opinion that thing known as The Commonwealth of Nations should go. It has outlived its usefulness many decades ago.
What nonsense is this! Is not just a week or so ago Kenya and PM Mia Mottley we’re singing the birth of a renewed Africa/Caribbean connection? Wha did ting now wey Kenya Madam fighting up wid Britain the enslaver to cut short the Caribbean choice? A wha dis really! Patricia Scotland all the Way!
Mia Mottley & Gaston Browne tell that Kenyan gal stay in she lane!
Wait is this the same man who did not support her for the position initially, but instead wanted the guyanese bag man Sir Sir to get the position? I wonder when he had his come to Jesus moment.
When this lady was campaigning for the position she now holds.Gaston Browne did not support her Candidacy.He threw his support behind a Guyanese born National,now
Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador to the US and OAS.Now you crawling,saying are standing up for her.You are so two faced.
Ron Sanders is a spiteful man. As soon as he get wind of this, he will find someway to get back at Gaston, one devil to the next. Watch out for the evil war.
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