The 50 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, who allegedly violated immigration laws and were ordered to leave the country by September 30, have been replaced.
Sanjay Pooran, a senior member of the church’s Georgetown Branch, told Stabroek News last Thursday that the 50 members of the church all vacated Guyana by the end of September as they were ordered.
He further explained that replacements for those that left were already in Guyana. However, when asked how many new US missionaries have entered the country Pooran refused to comment.
After being held at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Eve Leary for several hours on September 2 the 50 missionaries were asked to leave Guyana. Later that night in a statement the Ministry of Home Affairs 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 church’s Director of Public Affairs, Leslie Sobers, when contacted on September 4 had told Stabroek News that the church was applying for permission for a number among the group to remain.
“We have also asked that certain key members among the group of fifty missionaries asked to leave Guyana be allowed to remain,” Sobers had 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.”