(GINA) - INSINUATIONS by People's National Congress Reform Executive Member Jerome Khan have negatively affected the work of the Foreign Relations Committee.
Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation Clement Rohee appeared before the Committee Friday, but was forced to cut short his participation in the meeting because of Khan's involvement as a member of the Committee.
In a statement to the Committee, Minister Rohee expressed regret that he could not participate in the meeting. The full text of the statement reads:
Madam Chairperson, I should like to thank you for your invitation to attend this meeting of the Foreign Relations Committee and I look forward in the future to be of assistance to you in your work.
Unfortunately, I appear this afternoon with great reluctance having regard to certain allegations that were made against me by one of your members.
At a PNC/R Press Conference yesterday, February 5, 2004, Mr. Jerome Khan accused me of going "back track" to the recent special Summit of the Americas held in Monterrey, Mexico from 12-13 January, 2004.
The phrase "back track" in popularly used in Guyana to describe illegal activity in either travelling from Guyana and to certain countries without regard to valid travel documents or aiding and abetting such illegal activity.
Mr. Khan used the phrase without qualification and therefore must be taken to have intended to convey that I engaged in illegal activities in travelling to Mexico.
Mr. Khan's statement is false, obnoxious, vindictive and defamatory and is an insult not only to me personally, but to the People's Progressive Party-Civic and to the Government of Guyana.
Madam Chairperson, I would like to say quite categorically that I have the utmost respect for this Committee and its work which I believe will greatly enhance governance and transparency in Guyana.
I mean no disrespect when I say that I cannot participate in a meeting with Mr. Khan, or in a Committee of which he is a member.
Earlier Friday, and in response to questions about his colleague's travel to Mexico, Foreign Affairs Minister Rudy Insanally said that Minister Rohee's travel was not through the US and did not require him to have a US visa.
Meanwhile US Ambassador to Guyana Roland Bullen and Head of Consular Division of the US Embassy in Guyana David Shenstead have both stated that Minister Rohee was not denied a US visa. The Minister's application is waiting approval from Washington.