CARIBBEAN-OAS denies false allegations made against Secretary General

WASHINGTON, CMC – The Organization of American States says it “categorically rejects” what it termed the “false and misleading allegations” recently published regarding the internal functioning, human and financial resource management, and political agenda setting of the hemispheric body.

“The accusations are not based on accurate facts and provide a completely out-of-context and misrepresented reality. Unfortunately, misrepresentations and fake news have to be countered these days. At the same time, this item is an attempt at providing some useful insight into the inner workings of the OAS,” the OAS said in a lengthy statement.

While the OAS did not name the source of the “false and misleading” article, the Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador to the OAS, Sir Ronald Sanders in his weekly column published by the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) noted that it was published “on a website I had never encountered” and that the “article is nothing less than a hatchet job “on the OAS Secretary General, Albert Ramdin, who is from Suriname.

Ramdin, who officially took up office as Secretary General on May 27, this year succeeding Luis Almagro, has said the basis for every action thus far has been in full accordance with the OAS Charter, Rules and Procedures, past and present precedents and practices, financial checks and balances, ethical standards, and the advice of the competent workforce of the Organization.

He said on strategic policy issues, the Secretary General consults regularly with member states and regional groups.

“I find it deeply regrettable that disinformation, with to me unbeknown and questionable motives, seeks to manipulate public opinion and erode the credibility of an institution dedicated to democracy, human rights, security, and development for the Hemisphere, as well as cooperation among states.

“I reaffirm that all institutional funds and staffing decisions have been handled with the utmost responsibility and in strict alignment with our mission and remain committed to transparency, accountability, and the mandate of the OAS in promoting peace and integral development in the Americas,” said Ramdin.

In its lengthy statement, the OAS said that as an international organization, there are various bodies, processes, and institutions in place at the OAS to address serious accusations of alleged corruption practices and/or situations of abuse of power.

It said in particular, such functions are performed by the Ombudsperson, Inspector General, and of course, the political bodies and/or through procedures such as the whistle-blower policy.
” Travel to meetings and countries is a very typical requirement for staff in a multilateral organization such as the OAS. The costs associated are as such budgeted and administered according to established procurement and United Nations rules.

“As part of his political function, Secretary General Ramdin has attended the OAS General Assembly in Antigua and Barbuda, the UNOC3 Conference in Nice, France, the Finance for Development Conference in Seville, Spain, the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Jamaica, and the MISPA public security ministerial meeting in the Dominican Republic.”

It added that on August 6, he addressed the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Course on International Law of the Inter-American Juridical Committee in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“On that occasion, the Secretary General had fruitful discussions on current hemispheric affairs with Brazilian Foreign Minister, Mauro Vieira. These undertakings are all part of the efforts to increase the visibility of the OAS.
” The Holy See, while a valued observer of the OAS, has not been visited. Furthermore, a supposed limousine transfer of US$25,000 is certainly not an item ever approved or existing within the budget, which restricts all expenditures.

“Opinions expressed that the Secretary General would have opted for expensive hotels during the recently held General Assembly in Antigua and Barbuda are also beyond all truth. The fact is that the host country determined the location where Heads of Delegation were housed. That was not a choice.”

The OAS said that the purchase of a new communication system is being discussed, and the respective responsible departments have prepared a proposal. According to the regulations, the proposal is to be submitted to member states for approval and financing. Assuming that this is not a priority is again a misrepresentation of the truth.

The OAS stated that the long-planned renovation of the various offices in the OAS main building is now long overdue.

“It was deemed opportune to take advantage of the change in administrations to conduct the required maintenance while at the same time optimizing the office spaces in the historic headquarters of the OAS.

“While that work is being performed, some existing office space on the 8th floor of the General Secretariat Building, with minimal adjustments for the purpose, is indeed being used as the temporary office space for the OSG.

“However, at no extraordinary additional cost to the Organization. This same space has already been used for that same purpose in the past. The ASG offices are also being renovated, and she also occupies existing offices as temporary work areas.”

Regarding the (political) priorities of this administration, the OAS noted that at the beginning of Secretary General Ramdin’s mandate, there were four significant short-term institutionally looming dates.

It named them as the transition into office of a new SG and Assistant Secretary General (ASG) and the corresponding allocation of personnel (May–June), the Organization of the 55th GA (June), the restructuring of the Organization (mid-August), and the 2026 budget process (August–September), to be presented at a Special General Assembly in October.

“Setting priorities and allocating the scarce human capital is a continuing effort and challenge, but thanks to the hard work and commitment of competent and dedicated staff members, the General Secretariat has been able to meet all deadlines so far,” the OAS said, adding that staff members are remunerated at the level by their job content, responsibilities and work load.

It is mentioned that the amounts in the published article” are beyond reality”.

The OAS stated that the new administration’s internal actions have been carried out, while also addressing various political agendas and regular technical programs.

It said the crisis in Haiti, which encompasses every single objective the OAS stands to fulfill, “is prominent on the agenda, not only because this was one of Secretary General Ramdin’s campaign commitments, but because—as member states have repeatedly expressed—this is the single most pressing political, security and humanitarian issue in the Americas at the moment.

“The General Secretariat is, of course, following very closely other relevant topics in the political and electoral agenda of the region, but those are considered more suitable for quiet diplomacy, a form that seems to be a lost one, but is being put into practice by the new administration.”

The hemispheric body said that it “is unfortunate that, despite all the aforementioned efforts, there are still those who try to undermine the credibility, standing, and authority of the OAS, especially at this critical time for the region.

“The OAS and its General Secretariat operate under clear mandates from its member states and adhere strictly to established rules, financial controls, and institutional reporting procedures. All operations, budget allocations, and human resources decisions are subject to oversight mechanisms and transparency standards.”

The OAS said that the spread of disinformation and baseless insinuations,” unfortunately, a phenomenon all too common these days in our societies and organizations, not only affects individuals’ professionalism and morale, but also damages beyond repair our institutions and societies as a whole.

“The General Secretariat reaffirms its commitment to institutional integrity, accountability, and the principles that guide the Organization’s work. The General Secretariat will continue fulfilling its mission with professionalism, undeterred by politically motivated attacks,” it added.