Jamaican minister’s entry to race for Secretary Normal was known as ‘monumental error’ by Antigua. Listed below are excerpts from an article by Patrick Wintour, diplomatic editor for The Guardian.
Patricia Scotland’s hopes of being re-elected Commonwealth secretary basic are underneath menace, after Jamaica’s international minister, Kamina Johnson-Smith, introduced that she was difficult Scotland for the put up. The choice has sparked controversy within the Caribbean, which had beforehand met to again Scotland’s bid for a second time period. The Antiguan prime minister, Gaston Browne, has described Jamaica’s determination to interrupt ranks as a “monumental error”. “Jamaica was occasion to a latest Caribbean Group (Caricom) consensus endorsing the re-election of Baroness Scotland,” he stated. “I feel Jamaica’s proposed candidature for Commonwealth secretary basic is a monumental error, which might solely serve to divide the Caribbean.”
He stated the Dominican-born Scotland was being hounded out of workplace by a gaggle that “have now skilfully engineered a plan to divide Caricom and to stain the efficiency of the area”. He stated that Jamaica’s techniques may solely serve “as a gateway for a non-Caricom secretary basic to succeed”.
In a bid to heal the rift, it has now been agreed {that a} Caricom sub-group will interview the 2 candidates in a bid to succeed in a consensus, based on St Vincent and the Grenadines prime minister, Ralph Gonsalves. The sub-group consists of the Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica. It has been the conference {that a} secretary basic just isn’t contested if she or he seeks a second four-year time period.
The 15-member Caricom had given overwhelming help for Scotland once they met in Belize in March, however that phrasing might have disguised the objections of a minority. Both means, the Jamaican determination on 1 April to announce Johnson-Smith’s candidacy caught most observers abruptly.
One former Jamaican international minister, Delano Franklyn, famous his nation’s shock transfer got here after the go to to Jamaica by Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, and that go to might have been used as a backchannel to foyer the Jamaican authorities.
He stated: “As chairman of the Commonwealth, prime minister Boris Johnson is doing every thing to make sure that he has a secretary basic of the Commonwealth who will fall in keeping with the pondering of British conservative politics.”
The UK, nonetheless, insists it’s staying impartial, however supporters of Scotland consider International Workplace officers have been manoeuvring for years to take away her on the premise it believed she has awarded contracts improperly and proved a poor administrator.
A earlier potential challenger, Monica Juma, the Kenyan vitality minister and a former diplomat, had introduced in August 2021 that she was to face in opposition to Scotland, acquired Britain’s endorsement and began campaigning. Nonetheless, she then mysteriously pulled out, leaving Scotland’s opponents with no challenger.
Juma had been endorsed for the highest job by President Uhuru Kenyatta final yr, who known as her “an exemplar of what we within the Commonwealth maintain”. The 19 African members of the Commonwealth had solely just lately, via the African Union, endorsed Juma’s bid, however she clearly couldn’t achieve traction within the Caribbean.
In a brochure she launched in September, Juma stated she needed to vary the notion of the Commonwealth as an organisation of the previous. It seems Juma was not receiving adequate help throughout the 54-member Commonwealth and it was agreed that she stand all the way down to discover a candidate extra more likely to defeat Scotland.
The Commonwealth summit is meant to succeed in a call by consensus and the royal household is not going to need an unedifying row at what could also be one of many Queen’s final summits. Judging by her latest public appearances, she is unlikely to attend in particular person.
Jamaica’s determination to place up a candidate has its ironies for the reason that nation had beforehand hinted that it was contemplating quitting the Commonwealth or eradicating the Queen as head of state. Nonetheless, its prime minister, Andrew Holness, in saying Johnson-Smith’s candidacy, praised her {qualifications} for the put up of secretary basic, together with her excessive ethical character, diplomatic and political acumen, confirmed competence and dedication to the work of the Commonwealth. “She is going to convey a wealth of expertise to the place and is dedicated to worldwide public service,” he stated.
Johnson-Smith, international minister since 2020 and a former barrister, stated on Twitter: “It might be an absolute privilege to serve this nice household of countries.” [. . .]
For full article, see https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/13/jamaica-challenge-commonwealth-secretary-general-re-election
[Shown above: Patricia Scotland, pictured with Boris Johnson last month, has been dogged by stories accusing her of a misuse of funds Photograph: Daniel Leal/AP.]