Gov’t hires lobbying firm that had been used by PPP

The Guyana Government has hired a United States (US) lobbying firm to aid it in its relations with US government agencies and members of the US Congress.

The agreement was signed by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Elisabeth Harper and James Link of the Cormac Group on December 28, 2020.

Otto Reich Associates has been named a joint venture firm with the Cormac Group. Registered on the account are Cormac Group partner James Link and consultants Otto Reich and Jose Cardenas.

A report published on the Foreign Lobby website noted that the two firms partnered last year to lobby for the International Centre for Democracy, a New York outfit close to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) during their elections campaign.

According to a filing with the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the contract is for “government relations and lobbying services” and is “anticipated to include outreach to US congressional members and staff, executive branch officials, and relevant private sector organizations.”

The contract is valid for a period of six months at a cost of US$25,000 per a month.

According to documents filed with the Justice Department and which were seen by this newspaper, the team has committed to working towards engaging US policymakers to ensure a close working relationship with the Government of Guyana.

In the document, Link described the proposed scope of work as “ambitious”.

“….It reflects the agenda we have followed in the past with other clients. It is understood that we would not undertake all actions simultaneously, and that some are of much higher priority than others, but I wanted to share our plan with you,” the document states.

The entities which will be targeted include relevant US Government agencies and departments; international organizations and financial institutions such as the Organization of American States, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and the Washington-based public policy community.

The group is also expected to lobby the White House, National Security Council, Departments of State, Treasury, Commerce, Defense, and other relevant parts of the Executive Branch.

According to the document, the group has also committed to work with Guyana’s foreign policy and economic development team in order to develop specific political, economic, and communications strategy plans designed to promote the agenda and image of the Government with policy stakeholders in Washington, DC.

The lobbying team also intends to engage the Washington-based public policy community such as “Think Tanks,” non-governmental organizations and selected members of the media to cover the importance of Guyana to democracy and stability in the region.

According to the Foreign Lobby report, Link is a former aide to then-Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) and then-Reps. Dick

Cheney (R-Wyo.) and William Dickinson (R-Ala.).

“Reich notably served as Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs under President George W. Bush and is the founder of Floridabased Otto Reich Associates; Cardenas served as acting assistant administrator for Latin

America and the Caribbean at the US Agency for International Development, also under Bush,” it said.

Julian Pecquet is the founder and editor of Foreign Lobby Report which tracks foreign influence operations in Washington.