DIPLOMATIC relations between Guyana and the United States and between Guyana and Canada do not revolve exclusively around the two ministers of government who are embroiled in a revocation of visa issue with the countries.
So said Cabinet Secretary/Head of the Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon in response to a question posed by a journalist at his weekly media-briefing Thursday on whether a recent trip by a high-level governmental team to the United States and Canada hoped to persuade the authorities to reverse a revocation of visas decision.
According to Dr Luncheon, the delegation did not leave Guyana with a mandate to seek to have the respective government undo their actions but rather to seek clarifications.
Also, the interactions were to safeguard and attend to the bilateral relations that exist between Guyana and each of those countries.
He added that the authorities in both countries, in views communicated to the Government delegation, highlighted the state of bilateral relationships, which are still on excellent terms.
The affected Government officials are Minister of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj who had had both his Canadian and US visas revoked by the authorities, and Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Clement Rohee, whose visa to the US is still in process.
Dr Luncheon said, too, that both the US and Canada have informed the delegation that the revocation decisions were well within the boundaries and have no basis on allegations.
"The Canadians insisted that although they are aware that the timing, suggested that this action of theirs has nothing to do with the nature of a sanction. In the US, the authorities took a similar line, recognizing, as they said, the seriousness of the allegations and their interest in the way the matter will be pursued," the HPS said.
The Government delegation headed by Dr. Luncheon included Minister of Labour Dr. Dale Bisnauth and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Gail Teixeira.
According to Dr Luncheon, the team visited Toronto and Ottawa in Canada, and New York and Washington, DC. in the United States.
In Toronto, the team held meetings with Guyanese nationals there prior to traveling to Ottawa, where they met with officials of the External Affairs Ministry.
In New York, well-attended meetings were convened with the Guyanese community in Brooklyn and Queens, while in Washington D.C. the team had an official meeting at the State Department
A meeting was also held with the Guyanese community at the Guyana Embassy in Washington D.C.