The Government of Guyana should respond to the recent statement by the US State Department with a statement of its own. Here is a draft of what someone feels
should be the content of that response: 

“The Government of Guyana has, with immediate effect, ordered the expulsion of the United States Ambassador to Guyana . While we harbour no bitterness towards the
ambassador, and while he will always be respected as a professional diplomat; and whereas under his tenure, relations between Guyana and the United States have
improved, the orders for his expulsion is a protest over his government's meddling in Guyana's internal affairs. 

“We regret having to take this course of action, but we were left with no other choice following the abrasive position taken by the United States Government in seeking to determine whom a sovereign country and a democratic government should appoint to hold ministerial office. 

“This is an affront to our sovereignty and our right to self-determination. We wish to let the ambassador know that our actions are not personal, but intended to protect ourselves against political interference from his superiors in Washington . He will continue to have our highest respect.” 

The statement from the State Department constitutes a provocative act of meddling and indicates that the United States Government had pre-designs in terms of
the outcome of the Commission of Inquiry into the death squad allegations. The United States Government did not formally protest the terms of reference of the
Commission of Inquiry that was set up by President Bharrat Jagdeo. In any event, they had no right to do so. 

We would never be presumptuous to seek to dictate how the United States Government should deal with the Iraqi prisoner scandal or the 9/11 commission's
report. We have never joined the chorus of those who were critical of the US choice to head the World Bank.


In short, Guyana respects the principle of non - interference in the internal affairs of any country. Unfortunately, the State Department is seeking to re-colonize Guyana , and we cannot sit idly by and allow this to happen. 

The US State Department statement to the effect that the commission of inquiry found serious procedural irregularities in the Minister's conduct, is a misrepresentation of the report submitted by the commissioners. The terms of reference of the commission of inquiry were very specific, and were addressed directly by the commissioners. They found no credible evidence existed to link the minister with extra judicial killing. 

In so far as the terms of reference of the commission of inquiry are concerned, there are no unanswered questions. 

We understand, but cannot accept, the problems that the commission's report has placed on the United States Government. It was the US Government that withdrew the travel visas of the Minister and his family. Now that the commission of inquiry has cleared
the Minister of any involvement in death squads, the US Government has been found to have acted prematurely and excessively in publicly humiliating the Minister and his family. Rather than now questioning the re-instatement of the Minister of Home Affairs, the US
State Department and the Consular Section of the United States Embassy in Guyana are the ones for which there are unanswered questions. 

They must address why in the first place they withdrew the Minister's travel visa. They must explain whether they had prejudged the Minister by their actions. 

As recent declassified documents from the United States have proven, and as has been known for years, the United States Government was involved in the removal of the PPP Government in the sixties. Now the United States is seeking to determine who should be a Minister of our government. This cannot be accepted. 

Ronald Gajraj has been reinstated. This is a done deal. And so, too, is our decision to deem the US 's principal representative to Guyana , persona non grata. Mootoo

Guyanese Group@yahoo

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persona non gra·ta (nŏn grä'tə, grăt'ə) pronunciation
adj.

Fully unacceptable or unwelcome, especially to a foreign government: The diplomat was persona non grata.