The United States authorities have returned the cell phone confiscated from Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Mae Toussaint Jr Thomas while she was in-transit there in April.
“Yes, it was returned…,”an official yesterday told Stabroek News when contacted.
Sources say that while the phone was returned, Thomas’ visa revocation is still in effect.
Stabroek News had reported that Toussaint Jr Thomas was carrying a significant amount of cash but below the threshold for declaration when she was selected for a secondary inspection on April 8 at Miami International Airport. Her cell phone was subsequently confiscated.
Sources close to the government said that Toussaint Jr Thomas was carrying around the equivalent of US$9,000 when she was questioned by the authorities in the US. She then continued on to China.
Since the government had said that she was on a PPP-related training programme, questions have been raised as to why she was carrying that amount of cash.
According to sources, several months ago, a close relative of Toussaint Jr Thomas who is a US citizen also had their phone seized at a US airport, underlining that the US authorities have been keeping a close watch on their movements.
When Toussaint Jr. Thomas broke her silence weeks after the incident, she did not provide any significant details on why the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had taken her phone. She said that the phone was seized on April 8 and she was notified of her visa revocation two days later.
“I wish to refer to speculation, both in the print and social media, about my interface recently with US immigration
officials at Miami International Airport on April 8, 2023. Most of what has been reported is erroneous. I wish to clarify that I was referred for a ‘routine secondary check.’ There was a misunderstanding over my official cell phone without me being able to advise my officials. I advised that the cellphone be sent to the Minister of Home Affairs, Honorable Robeson Benn in Guyana,” Thomas had said in a statement.
“Thereafter, I was allowed the choice of entering the United States of America or continuing on my journey- which last I opted to so do. Subsequently, during my return journey I was advised that my US visa was revoked on the 10th April, 2023 and that I would have to make alternative arrangements to return to Guyana,” the statement added.
She said that she remained “open to engaging with US authorities on any possible travel arrangements to the USA in the future.”
The Minister of Home Affairs had himself also issued a statement, the day before Thomas released hers.
“The Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, M.P., herewith advises that Permanent Secretary, Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas is the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs and that the appointment of Permanent Secretaries is solely at the discretion of His Excellency Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. Minister Benn anticipates that this clarification will bring to an end unseeming and reckless speculation in certain sections of the media.”
President Ali has said that he understands that Toussaint Jr. Thomas was singled out as part of a routine secondary search by CBP officers.
He said that Thomas had briefed Home Affairs Minister Benn and would undertake the necessary steps that are triggered for officials.
“The minister would have advised me that the authorities said it was normal routine part of how they execute their job… things are asked [during the secondary search] which I am aware of. There was no motive, it was a normal routine procedure. People go to secondary [searches],” the President said.
This newspaper understands that a statement from the Permanent Secretary was submitted to “the responsible authority” at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as a unit within that ministry seeks to investigate the issue. “The Foreign Affairs Ministry has her statement and they are doing what they have to do. That has not been completed,” a source yesterday informed.
