US embassy denies espionage report
Talks are underway between the Home Affairs Ministry and Mormons on a settlement to allow church members to continue their work here and the US Embassy yesterday said that it issued no reports saying that the missionaries were expelled from Guyana because of possible espionage activities.
Leslie Sobers
The Ministry of Home Affairs, in a statement issued on Wednesday night just after fifty missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints had been ordered to leave Guyana in 30 days, denied a report which it said purportedly originated from the US embassy that the missionaries were being expelled because “they were engaged in espionage activities”.
The statement had said: “The Ministry of Home Affairs acting in accordance with the Laws of Guyana i.e. the Immigration Act Chap 14:02 issued letters denying Work Permits and Extension of Stay to fifty (50) Missionaries belonging to the said Church. They were ordered to leave the jurisdiction”, the statement said. It added that efforts are being made to determine the whereabouts of 13 others.
In a brief press statement yesterday the US Embassy said it had issued no reports as alleged in the Ministry of Home Affairs statement. “The Embassy’s communications with the Government of Guyana in the case of the U.S. citizen missionaries have been official and diplomatic and, as such, private and privileged. The Embassy has not, and would not, issue or originate reports as indicated”, the US Embassy said of the ministry’s press statement.
Meanwhile, officials of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints have met with a group from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Contacted yesterday afternoon, Colin Goodluck who is the President of the Georgetown, Guyana District of the Church said that he was not in a position to comment.
“The meetings we had yesterday [Thursday],” Goodluck told Stabroek News, “have not yet been concluded and they are continuing this afternoon [yesterday]…as I said, as soon as we have information we will make it available.”
Asked about the church’s activities during the last few years it had spent here and how the current immigration issue will affect the organization’s work locally, Goodluck indicated that he was willing to speak on these issues but at a later date. He then informed this newspaper about the meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs and directed this newspaper to Leslie Sobers, the church’s Director of Public Affairs, for a comment.
Sobers explained that “three senior officials” of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, who he declined to name, met with a group at the Ministry of Home Affairs. The group of ministry officials did not include Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.
“The church officials met with those at the ministry and it has been decided that the Church will continue its humanitarian work in Guyana after this matter is settled,” Sobers said.
Sobers also said that the meeting resulted in certain guidelines, which he is not at liberty to discuss, being set for the church to follow so that such an issue does not arise in the future. He stressed that the church has pledged to continue its humanitarian work here and would not deprive Guyanese of their service.
“We have also asked that certain key members among the group of fifty missionaries asked to leave Guyana be allowed to remain,” Sobers said. “The church was asked to submit a list of those key members and has been promised that work permits will be granted to those persons.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints has been operating in Guyana for more than two decades. During the last two years, according to Sobers, it has expended more than $422million here in humanitarian services.
During mid September last year, Sobers noted, the church had donated 250 wheelchairs of five different sizes to the Ministry of Health’s Materials Management Unit at Kingston. A Government Information Agency statement had said that the charitable act served to complement the vision of the Health Ministry in ensuring that every Guyanese in need of a wheelchair is provided with one. The average cost a wheelchair then was approximately US$85, including shipping.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs statement on Wednesday night, the missionaries who expected to leave by the end of September were not granted extensions of stay and some were not in possession of valid work permits. This was denied by the church’s Director of Public Affairs, Sobers, who said that applications were submitted for extension of stays but as far as he knows they were never given responses.
An elderly missionary couple was the first to be picked up from their home by police on Tuesday night. Wednesday morning the rest of their colleagues showed up at the Criminal Investigation Department, Eve Leary and were detained there for about 12 hours.
The US embassy and senior members of the church were forced to intervene and meet with President Bharrat Jagdeo at Office of the President before the missionaries were finally released that day.
Let us hope there is a positive outcome from these talks between the parties that will set the ground rules and allow this church to continue its operation in GY thus preventing any misunderstanding in the future.
Seems like the Ministry of Home Affairs needs to put its affairs in order before acting stupidly. Rohee talks too much, too quickly!!! Hope that this matter can be settled amicably.
Re: “Seems like the Ministry of Home Affairs needs to put its affairs in order before acting stupidly….”
Very simple solution: Current Leaders of “BATTLE STAR PNC” need to urgently get back on the chartered course that the PNC was handed by the Membership while under the leadership of the late L. F. S. Burnham.
And, Guyanese voters and the donor communities throughout the world will remember these particular issues involving people spreading the words of the Almighty God come General Elections in Guyana in 2011.
Cool!
I should have added, “Just remember folks it can be demonstrated to show how “Tribe of The Lions of Judah” of which the People’s National Congress (PNC) is an Ancestral Member and the 1000lb Animal in the room can “Break Every Chain Again, And Again”
Jah Rastafari!
Let sleeping dogs lie. This government’s bullying and intimidatory tactics are ill-timed and misplaced. We live in a world that is getting smaller and more globally integrated, where borders are becoming insignificant and thanks to the Internet and other new technologies the old paradigms are obsolete. A call centre in India solves an American customer complaints. That is, an American has a problem/job in the U.S.A. but the work of solving it is being done by foreign workers without a U.S. work permit in another country.
There are more pressing and serious problems for this government to tackle instead of harassing foreign members of a church that is doing great volunteer work. Where is the Guyana Council of Churches? Why are the Muslim and Hindu organisations deadly quiet?
Several Muslim and Hindu organisations do charitable works in Guyana. Many of these organisations are based overseas. None of them try to convert people or hand out their “Holy Books” to school children, nor do they knock on peoples door and try to impose their religion on them. many Christian organisations do the same, but unfortunately there are some for whom aid comes with conditions… like attending their services, listening to them preach, etc.
bp, again I am not surprised by this bias comment bashing other religions who are not christians.
Hindus and Muslims do social work and do not molest others and donot toot their own horn. It is done with no expectation for reward. I donot hear you speaking up when Hindus and Muslims are being disturbed and desrespected by other groups molesting them to convert.
I hope SN doesnot edit my comment because it it the truth.
Time for the Mormons to leave,come on president Jagdeo don’t soften up on this one or soon you would realize your mistake,your supporters especially Hindus are converting to Christianity,unlike Muslims who are more difficult to convert,the Mormons are gaining strength and with their influence among the Guyanese people they would soon become a force to recon with.
why Leslie sobers picture gotta be in this article…..why not a picture of the Mormons or the US Embassy?????
Just as some are seen (pictured) in their military dress (uniform) and identified when it comes to things military; perhaps, and just perhaps legal representatives are seen and identified when it comes to things legal; and, is this not a legal matter – eh! So, that’s my layman assumption as to why “Leslie Sobers” as the legal representative is seen in the picture.
You must love that military uniform of yours – eh!
SandHurst First, you ability or lack thereof to put things together and make sense is mind blowing. If you were earnestly following what was going on and grasp what is the responsibility of Leslie Sobers, you would not have made such utterance. Leslie Sobers is a Mormon so you get what you are asking for and you still don’t have a clue. Or your concept of a mormon is of one shade, white?
If you did not read the news or you only look at pictures to conjure up what is actually happening, I am advising you to ask someone with knowledge before you utter anything that is going to put you in a bad light. By the way Leslie Sobersers is responsible for Public Relations for the local church, hence his picture appearing and he is a Mormon
john smith you have not added anything new to the debate and as such, i find your comments confusung and inarticulate too.
Can someone from the Home Affairs Ministry say if the Brazilians
miners and prostitutes that plying their trade in Guyana, if their work permit is in order and if it is how long it is valid for ?.
Two weeks ago Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud was in discussion
with his Suriname Commissar in Nickerie to make arrangement for
that country to open back the recently closed illegal/backtrack
route so that Guyanese can travel to that country illegally.
Checkout the following:-
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/news/local/08/24/suriname-to-repoen-%e2%80%98ba... 825/2009
Thought for the Day
“Music is the divine way to tell beautiful,
poetic things to the heart.”
Pablo Casals
Here is one:
A man who wants to lead the ochestra must turn his back on the crowd.
Folks, this is a done deal. Those who broke the regulations have to go but the Guyana govrenment has said that the Church may still remain here with new members.
“Humanitarian work” ? The main aim of Mormons overseas is a requirement of the Church for young men to spend time in a foreign country. If not, they won’t be saved. (I wonder what happens to womean members ? Presumably, they go to hell).
This so called story is repetitious and stale news (aka junk)….SN, wake up…
Hey Reddy,
Get your facts straight. Some of the missionaries in the mormon mission are from Guyana and some of them are women.
What I would like to see is an exchange of Mormon missionaries,where Caribbean members of the Mormon church go to some of the Southern parts of the United States and try to enlighten and convert those Red Necks down there. The Mormons from the US who are assigned to this region are trained like diplomats,and are into the Hearts and Minds mode.I’ve seen them pitching marbles with the kids in the street,and giving a helping hand painting and cleaning homes.But as soon as you let them know that Mormonisn is not for you, they change their attitude towards you instantly.
Reddy, I suggest you get your facts before you say anything that will deminish any credibility that you might have left. Sometimes it is better to stay silent and let people have doubts rather that to open your mouth and……
Like Todd Dean said, both males and females serve missions and it is done voluntarily, no one is forced to go. I don’t have a clue what is your source of the misinformation you have here about it is a requirement to serve a mission and those who don’t serve will not be saved. Reddy, just get your information right and stop speading lies.
Some are women and from Guyana . Wow ! how many ? (hehehehehe…)
Sanderson, Oh, Sanderson, you have this thing all wrong. Just what you would like to see has happened and continues to happen. I personally know of a Guyanese GIRL who served her mission in Florida, Mississippi and Georgia all suthern states.
reddy you need to read and think before you open your #$@%&*% mouth. no wonder the country is in this mess. its folks like you who are running the government now.
we shall not allow any communist loving government to succeed in guyana. pee pee pee government and supporters you can put that in your pipes and smoke it.
True John, but more than just one would be more comforting. I also know of one Caribbean/US Mormon who was told by a Southerner not to set foot on his property, but it was ok for his full-blooded American team mate to do so.
glad to know that these godly people will remain and do their
charitable work helping the poor guyanese people, and to you
ppp supporters how many of you donate over 422 million to your
blind govt.eh you sit in the same people’s country and spewing
your ignorant comments … like i said in my previous blogg i hope
the ppp regime dont reverse that order of expulsion mr.
jagdeo/rohee stick to your word/orders , and to all you bloggers
about jones town reincarnation, after TWENTY YEARS IN GUYANA is there any signs of that happening or will happen?? so stop your
nonsense about another jones town, and start worring about another
columbia or mexico pablo escobar/roger khan happening in guyana
under your ppp govt. we should be thanking the UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA in helping us guyanese curbing the illegal drug trade in
guyana, also we should thank the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-
DAY SAINTS for preaching the word of god and helping the guyana
govt. in times of need… HAPPY LABOUR DAY TO ALL GUYANESE/AMERICAN
There was always some concern about the Mormons relative to information gathering.Most ,if not all of the churches that they have built in the region are equipped with a tower, with cabling suggesting a powerful antennae. They have also been known to deplete archives in the region of information relating to Births, Marriages,Deaths ets, for their lucrative geneologly programmes.
those towers are installed there to reach God….
eheheheheheheheheh
S. Rowe, the church’s meeting halls or most of them, all over the world have satellite dishes to receive conferences and other meetings. I am not sure if you are talking about steeples and comparing those with communication towers, most churches have steeples.
The church believes in geneology work, you follow your family tree. I am not sure what you mean by “deplete archives”, you mean they take away all the information from the archives? That is totally not true, the church works with local archieves to modernize them by helping eo store the information from books to electronics. This is done free of cost and the information remains in the buildings., this is done. You also alluded to “lucrative geneology programmes”. The word lucrative brings to mind money or profit, this is yet another misinformation. The church has one of the largest if not the largest geneology bank in the world and no financial transaction transpires. Anyone is free to access information at no cost, no cost, Mr Rowe.
As humanbeings we can wander the earth ‘buying things’ in brown paper bags and take it as we are told it is, not even opening the bag to she what we pay for. Or we can open and investigate to make sure we have not been given something that is not only going to do us no good but has robbed us of the oppertunity to seek for ourselves what we have ‘paid’ for. Mr Rowe, please open that ‘brown paper bag’ and see for youself, examine that content carefully brfore you retail it.
Mr Smith the word “depleted” is the moderators. Mine was more blunt ,”Robbed”.
Since you are so eager to represent the Mormons, could you explain to me what their “blue paper bag” aka The Book of Mormons is telling us in 2 Nephi Chapter5 Verses 21-24 and again in Mormons Chapter 5 opening verse.
“Mormon again leads the Nephite armies in battles of blood and carnage .
The book of Mormon shall come forth to convince Israel that Jesus is the Christ. The Lamanites shall be a dark ,filthy, and loathsome people- They shall receive the gospel from the Gentiles in the latter days.”
What are the early settlers in Guyana “Sanderson Rowe” – Jews, Gentiles or Hebrews??? Now that the word “YAHWEH” is now understood. And, do you believe that the “Foreheads Are Already Sealed”!
And, those who know, know!
Have a nice day.
Yes Mr. Rowe. There are many more references of racism found in that book. I have a long list of tenets that promote white superiority. Too much to list here.
Mr Rowe, you made claims about information gathering and as you said, “robbing” archives and “powerful antennae, now you are dashing off in another direction. Stick to you original claims and then you move on to something else after that would have been settled. You know you can’t back up your absord claims with evidence.
By the way can you tell me what is the meaning of a ‘dark demeanour’ means? I doubt it has anything to do with the colour.
Re: “Yes Mr. Rowe. There are many more references of racism…”
Are ya referring to words like “I Am The Lord Thy God And I Am A Jealous God (Of Those Peculiar People….) Visiting The Fathers Unto The Third And Fourth Generations That Hate Me…”
Well, didn’t King David said that he was “Black….”? And, some things come naturally don’t they? So, who was the favorite child of your household like it was with “Cain” and “Abel”?
There is something that is called “religious tolerance” in the world in which we now live in. And, “Peace Be Unto You”!
NotFromGT. It amazes me that not many people ,including those who are sympathetic towards the Mormons,in general,have nit taken the time to read and understand The Book of Mormon.When questioned I’ve heard many say,”They give me one,but I’ve never read it.” After fulfilling a wish to read the King James Version of the Holy Bible from cover to cover, I’ve started to do the same with the Book of Mormon.
SR, and after reading the Book of Mormon have you noticed how much of it is plagiarized from the KJV of the Bible with 1611 English, translators’ mistakes and all?