GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC)– Guyana is mourning the loss of one of its most accomplished diplomats, Ambassador Elisabeth Harper, who passed away on Saturday at age 67 after a prolonged illness.

She is being remembered as a consummate professional with exceptional organisational skills and a deep sense of national service.

Guyana’s president Irfaan Ali led national tributes, describing Harper as one of Guyana’s most outstanding citizens and foremost diplomats whose decades-long service in the Foreign Ministry was marked by “excellence, dedication and an unyielding commitment to the advancement of our nation’s interest.”

Ambassador Harper began her career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1976 and rose through the ranks to serve as Director-General and Permanent Secretary.

She also served as Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (Caricom), a post in which she represented Guyana with “dignity and distinction, earning the respect of colleagues across the region and beyond”, Ali said in a statement.

“Guyana has truly lost an outstanding citizen, and the foreign service has lost one of its finest ever.”

In a separate statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation noted that Harper had “served with distinction in every position” throughout her nearly 50-year career.

“She will be remembered for her distinguished service, humility, and unwavering commitment to serve her country and the people of Guyana,” it said.

Harper had also briefly entered national politics, serving as the prime ministerial candidate for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in the 2015 general elections alongside then-President Donald Ramotar.