Dear Editor,
Allow me to respond to Bibi K Nandram’s ‘The real reason for the Mormons being expelled” (KN, September 9). The core points in the letter are as follows:
1. The Mormons are engaged in political activities in Guyana, whether knowingly or unknowingly.
2. The Mormon missionaries in Guyana are linked to the PNCR, and that party may be ‘using’ the missionaries to make political incursions into Amerindian areas.
3. The Government of Guyana expelled the Mormon missionaries because of trumped up charges of violating Guyana’s immigration laws.
4. The PPP is simply electioneering in the Amerindian communities.
There are serious issues with what Ms Nandram says. Here are the problems:
1. She dismisses the provision of schools, health centres and equipment to the Amerindian communities as irrelevant. I suppose she lives in Georgetown and knows little about what these services really mean to Amerindian communities.
2. By doing so she engages in a vulgar form of electioneering at the expense of the Amerindian communities.
3. She demonstrates disrespect for Minister Pauline Sukhai, all in the name of trying to get a few votes.
4. She does not understand that violating immigration laws is a serious matter in any country.
5. Worse yet, she fails to understand that foreigners cannot interfere in the internal political affairs of a country – in this case Guyana.
I hope Ms Nandram would begin to develop respect for the Amerindian communities. This wouldn’t be a favour for those communities; it is their right.
Your faithfully,
Randy Persaud
