Immigration officials in the United States have refused to give an explanation after a mobile phone belonging to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mae Toussaint Jr-Thomas, who was traveling through the United States en route to China, was seized.
In the aftermath of the incident, the Permanent Secretary in Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Elisabeth Harper sought an explanation but was told that nothing could be provided.
“We do not have any specific information to share,” US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Adrienne Galanek told Ms Harper on Friday in response to an enquiry hours after an enquiry appeared in the Stabroek News.
However, the American Embassy’s correspondence merely reproduced standard CBP reasons for conducting secondary checks on all incoming foreigners and American citizens.
The American Embassy advised the Guyana government that CBP agents could ask detailed information about the purpose for visiting the US, travel history and they and their belongings could be searched thoroughly.
