After being held at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Eve Leary for several hours, around fifty US missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints were released last evening and have been given 30 days by the government to leave the country.
In a day of high drama that saw many members of the church detained at CID Headquarters and singing lustily at times while US embassy officials interceded on their behalf, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a statement last night to clarify the issue.
The ministry 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 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.
It then went on detail the sequence of the events leading up to the decision. The ministry
said that it had found that the missionaries had overstayed their time here and did not possess valid work permits since November 2004, April 2005, April 2007, January 2008 and March 2009 respectively. The ministry revealed that in October of 2007 the church had requested work permits and the extension of stay for 10 US nationals to be attached to the church as missionaries but that this was denied.
Further, in February, 2008 a new application was received requesting work permits and an extension of stay for another 22 American missionaries. To process the application, the ministry said that the church was asked to submit a list of foreign nationals and their locations. This list was submitted in February 2008 and showed that there were 54 missionaries attached to the church. This list included those who were previously denied work permits and extensions.
The ministry said that while the application for the 54 missionaries was being processed the church again applied for work permits and extension of stay for an additional 69 American missionaries. Included in the list were eight from the list of 54. The ministry said that they were given slips acknowledging receipt of their applications.
The ministry said that the church was informed of the findings and invited to an interview in September 2008. It said that Wayne D. Barrow, Georgetown District President of the church and attorney Nigel Hughes attended and the matter was ventilated with the Head of the Immigration Support Ser-vices.
In June this year, the ministry said that the church was again asked to supply a list of foreign nationals with the organization along with their location and copies of their passports. The ministry said that on June 10 the church replied and provided a list showing that 66 persons were attached and the reply also requested permits and extension of stay for the 66.
“Of the sixty (60) Missionaries, the records showed that fifty (50) Missionaries had overstayed, (whereabouts of 13) were unclear and three (3) had valid Work Permits”, the ministry noted.
The head of the organization resident here was then invited for a meeting and Sanjay Pooran reported to the ministry and the matter was discussed.
“He was informed of the Ministry’s decision and issued a letter denying work permits and extension of stay to the fifty (50) persons who had overstayed their time in Guyana”, the ministry related.
The ministry said that taking into consideration all the circumstances surrounding the matter and in the interest of a solution a meeting was convened at the Office of the President yesterday at the request of President Bharrat Jagdeo. Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee and two High Representatives of the church were also present, the statement said. The statement said that the church representatives were told that the laws of the land must be respected by all and that there was no intention to deport the 50.
“However, in keeping with the Laws of Guyana those fifty (50) persons whose work permits
and extension of stay have expired will leave the country voluntarily within one month.
“Replacement Missionar-ies associated with the Church will be allowed to enter the jurisdiction and to conduct their activities provided they are granted work permits in advance of their arrival.
“The High Representatives of the Church agreed to this approach”, the ministry said.
Court proceedings
Prior to the statement, court proceedings and the detention of the missionaries at Eve Leary had taken centre stage.
According to attorney for the church, Hughes, the church originally had 50 missionaries from abroad working here to serve Guyanese. The attorney told Stabroek News that “long before” Tuesday, when the first set of missionaries was taken into police custody; some 12 others had already left the country. Hughes also noted that the High Court issued an order yesterday afternoon saying that the police should not arrest or detain the missionaries “or kick them out of the country” unless their appeals have been heard.
The order issued by Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang stated “……a conservatory order is hereby granted restraining the defendant…from arresting and or detaining the applicants for the purposes of removing the applicants from Guyana before the hearing and determination of the Appeals filed by the plaintiffs [Jesus Christ Church of the Latter Day Saints]…” The matter was adjourned to September 16.
‘No reason’
Public Relations Director of the Church and Branch President Leslie Sobers earlier yesterday reiterated the information released by Hughes and stated that the church was yet to receive “specifics” of why their members were detained and have been asked to leave the country.
Sobers, who is also an attorney, explained that there is a “perceived number of missionaries from any given church that can be in the country at a time”, but that number is currently unknown and is being determined.
“We are still trying to ascertain the reason why our missionaries are here. We’ve committed no known offence…my understanding is that they could not have left [CID Headquarters]…that amounts to an arrest…we do not know what offence was committed…we do not know why our missionaries are bundled into a room at CID and their passports were taken from them…we have been told that they have to leave at the end of September but that may very well be subjected to a review,” Sobers continued to explain last evening, adding, “They are here legally.”
US Embassy Charge d’Affaires Karen Williams was also present at CID Headquarters last evening. She explained that what she could say about the matter was limited because of the Privacy Laws of the US. However, Williams said that the US Embassy has been involved in the matter since early yesterday.
“We’ve had meetings throughout the day…We’re trying to protect and support our citizens overseas…we spoke to authorities here and did everything within our power to see that our citizens are being taken care of,” Williams said. “We talked to all levels of the government today [yesterday]. We’ve done the best that we can, we’ve arrived at a solution temporarily…we’ll be able to work out some other issues.”
She admitted that the entire issue came as a surprise and since she had been in Guyana nothing like it has ever happened.
‘We love Guyana’
Meanwhile, a senior member of the church who identified himself as Elder Lingren explained that an elderly couple, American citizens, was picked up from their house by police on Tuesday night. The couple, Lingren said, remained in police custody until last evening.
“I don’t know much about it. I just want them to let them out,” Lingren told the media last evening at CID headquarters. “There are no charges as far as I know…It comes as a little bit of a surprise…”
Stabroek News also understands that an application had also been made to the High Court in relation to this matter for the State to pay more than $150,000 in compensation including costs and whatever else the court deemed necessary. The application included a $50,000 claim for damages and another of the same amount for entering private property with permission or a warrant.
After the couple’s detention, the Church Elder further said, other missionaries were asked to report to CID headquarters but were given no reason. The missionaries, according to Lingren, arrived at CID headquarters at about 7.30 yesterday morning and were subsequently detained. Last evening when Stabroek News visited the location the church members had just ordered dinner and could be seen leaning out windows, praying, singing and taking pictures of each other. They were later released.
Lingren said that the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints has been in Guyana for about 20 years. “We don’t want to leave Guyana”, the man said adding the church loves Guyana and its people and wanted to stay and continue offering help to those who were in need.
Asked about the group’s immigration status Lingren could only say that “they” were trying to determine that but “as far the church is aware its members who were in Guyana were all legally here.”
As the missionaries, their passports returned and their names and addresses taken by police, walked from CID headquarters shortly after 7 last evening some members only smiled and said, “It’s great to finally be free”.
The church has been present here since 1989. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest group from the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has established congregations. Church membership is approximately 13.5 million. It is said to be the fourth largest Christian church in the US.
According to Wikipedia the church is “organized in a hierarchical structure primarily administered by men, with women in roles leading other women and children. Mormons believe that Jesus leads the church through revelation, and has chosen a single man, called “the Prophet” or President of the Church, as Jesus’ spokesman on the earth. “
Members of the priesthood are drawn from the laity and work on a purely volunteer basis without stipend. Members, including clergy, are asked to donate a full tithe of their income to the Church. The church has a strong cultural influence on its members, and has occasionally taken public stands on various social issues. It is an active proselytizing church, and sends full-time missionaries nearly worldwide, according to Wikipedia.
