Bayney Ram Karran has served as Guyana’s ambassador to the United States since December 2003. Concurrently, he has been Guyana’s permanent representative to the Organization of American States (OAS).

 

Prior to becoming a diplomat, Karran spent two decades working as an attorney. He operated his own firm in Guyana from 1984 to 1991, then joined De Caires and Fitzpatrick (1992-97). During this latter period, he was director of the nonprofit Georgetown Legal Aid Clinic (1993-1996), chairman of the Guyana National Service Scheme Appeals Tribunal and secretary of the Guyana Bar Association (both 1994-1995), and a member of an advisory group of lawyers to the attorney general and minister of legal affairs of Guyana (1993-1996).

 

Karran received his first ambassadorship in 1997, serving as his country’s representative to Venezuela until 2003. During this span he also was accredited as ambassador to Chile and Colombia (1998-2003) as well as Ecuador (1999-2003).

 

Since 1997 he has been a delegate to ministerial and multilateral organizations, such as the Rio Group, the OAS, the Association of Caribbean States and the Latin American Economic System.

 

In addition to his legal and diplomatic work, Karran has worked in the field of broadcasting, including stints as an announcer, operator, program producer and chairman of the board of directors for the Guyana Broadcasting Corp.

 

Karran speaks English and Spanish.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Biography (The Washington Diplomat)