WASHINGTON, DC – The new Organization of American States (OAS) Representative in Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Riyad Insanally, has presented his letter of accreditation to that country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paula Gopee-Scoon.
In a formal call on the Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Port of Spain on Tuesday, Dr. Insanally conveyed the greetings of OAS Secretary General. José Miguel Insulza and the Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin, and pledged to carry out his obligations as OAS Representative to the best of his abilities.
Insanally stated that, in addition to his normal duties of OAS Representative, he had been entrusted with the task of supporting the efforts of the OAS General Secretariat as it worked with the Trinidad and Tobago government towards the success of the 5th Summit of the Americas to be held in Port-of-Spain, in April 2009. Insanally told the Minister: “I look forward to working closely with both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Secretariat for the 5th Summit and I wish to reiterate the commitment of the Secretary General and the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS to supporting the government of Trinidad and Tobago at every step of the process.”
In welcoming Dr. Insanally to Trinidad and Tobago, Minister Gopee-Scoon said: “Trinidad and Tobago is firmly committed to a successful 5th Summit, and I am pleased with the support of the OAS and indeed, of all the member states.” She added that she was looked forward to reporting on advances made in the Summit preparations at the next Ministerial Meeting of the Summit Implementation Review Group on June 3, during the 38th OAS General Assembly, in Medellín, Colombia.
Prior to his appointment, Riyad Insanally was an adviser to the OAS Assistant Secretary General. A national of Guyana, Insanally has also served as a Senior Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana, as a political adviser to the first two Secretaries General of the Association of Caribbean States and as Guyana’s Sugar Representative in Europe. He studied Modern Languages and Latin American Studies and holds the MA and MPhil degrees from the University of Cambridge, and received his PhD from Harvard. He is married with two children.
