The government’s silence continues on the question of Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Mae Thomas’ phone being confiscated and her visa cancelled. However, she has returned to Guyana and is expected to give a formal report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) today on what transpired in the United States, sources have said.
It is only after that report that the MoFA, the agency responsible for diplomatic matters, could request a formal response from the United States, a source explained.
“Certain protocol is required. The response from the US Embassy, Georgetown, through the Deputy Chief of Mission [Adrienne Galanek] was preliminary because we did not send a formal note,” a source told the Stabroek News yesterday.
The source said that based on Thomas’s account of what transpired, the ministry would ascertain what responses are needed from the United States.
Government has maintained official silence on the matter even though some senior officials have confirmed the confiscation of Thomas’s telephone. It was not until a news item appeared in Thursday’s edition of Stabroek News that the government reached out to the US Embassy.
However, according to sources, the embassy said that it had no specific information on the issue to share. It pointed the government to Customs and Border Patrol (CPB) regulations, which provide for searches and confiscation of electronic equipment.
The confiscation of the phone should raise major concerns for the government as it would signal that CBP officials had questions about Thomas who became permanent secretary in 2020 after the PPP/C entered office. The Ministry of Home Affairs is the central focus for law and order and Thomas is the point person for engagement with a large number of international agencies and programmes such as citizen security.
After completing her trip to China, Thomas returned to Guyana via the United Kingdom and not the United States and sources said that her visa was cancelled. This will deepen the dilemma the government faces as questions will mount over the confiscation of her cell phone by CBP officers of the Department of Homeland Security.
According to CPB regulations, “If CBP officers at a port of entry need more information to determine your admissibility into the US, you may be directed to an interview area known as secondary inspection. You could also be subjected to a secondary inspection as a result of a random search. Anyone, including US citizens, may be subject to secondary inspection if the CBP officer has reservations about admitting him or her.
“Secondary inspection is a more detailed inspection to determine admissibility. It allows CBP officers to conduct additional research to verify information without delaying other travellers. During a secondary inspection, the CBP officer may ask you detailed questions about your travel plans and immigration history. You may be asked to produce additional proof of identification and detailed information about the purpose of your visit to the US. Both you and your belongings may be subject to a thorough search. Such inspections may include a search of all electronic information stored on your laptop, cell phone or other electronic device.”
