Attorney General Anil Nandlall has dismissed claims made by social media activist Melissa Atwell, also known as “Melly Mel,” that the government used a lobby firm to facilitate her detention in the United States.
In a Facebook statement following her release on bail from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Centre in Louisiana earlier this week, Atwell accused the government of orchestrating her detention. She alleged that they used a lobbying firm to provide information to the US government about her overstaying in the country.
During his weekly “Issues in the News” programme on Tuesday, Nandlall rejected the accusation, asserting that the government neither has the time nor the resources to focus on individuals such as Atwell.
Nandlall explained that it was Atwell herself who informed the Guyanese government, as well as her followers, that she was an American citizen. He stated that she had also publicly disclosed that she regularly corresponded with various US agencies, including US law enforcement and the US government, and claimed to be well protected by the country’s legal system.
The Attorney General emphasised that the US government does not need the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government or any lobbying firm to notify them of Atwell’s immigration status, which led to her being detained by ICE. Likewise, he stated that the US government does not require the PPP to provide any information through a lobbying firm regarding her alleged fraudulent marriage.
Nevertheless, Nandlall remarked that these claims are being propagated by Atwell and are being readily accepted by certain members of the public.
“We have a government to run. We have a country to manage. We have people’s welfare to look after. We have the future of this country to manage, protect, and preserve. We have neither the time, the energy, nor the inclination to expend valuable resources on individuals such as these.”
The Attorney General reiterated that the government has far more important matters to attend to, as their focus does not revolve around individuals like Atwell.
