Rohee can travel to US again
Stabroek News
March 25, 2004
The way has been cleared for Minister Clement Rohee to travel to the United States since his visa application has been processed after being on hold for a number of months.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secre-tary Dr Roger Luncheon made the announcement yesterday during his post-Cabinet press briefing held at the Office of the President.
He said the Office of the President had been advised recently that Minister Rohee can access visa privileges to travel to the United States. Sources told Stabroek News that the visa Rohee has been issued is not for the customary period associated with such applications.
In January, Rohee, Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, had applied for a visa to visit the United States, but the application was not immediately processed leading to much speculation over the reasons why. The United States Embassy later informed the government that the reason for the delay was the need to comply with procedures laid down by the United States administration.
Consul at the US Embassy, David Shensted had confirmed last month that the visa had been referred to Washington as was specified by the foreign affairs manual. He had noted the existence of various reasons for visa denials and that Rohee's case matched none of those categories.
Rohee himself had declined to speak on the reasons cited for the referral to Washington.