Visa review - political hand, where I stand

Visa review – political hand, where I stand

Sep 23, 2026 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

(Kaieteur News) – The Mohameds have come out with eyes blazing. It’s all they have in their arsenal. But it’s good enough for the job before them. They see, they fear, a political hand in the sudden “visa review” by the U.S. State Department of that stamp held by Guyana’s Justice Gino Persaud. The Mohameds are entitled to their convictions, and based on their own experiences with political hatchets endured, they may be onto something. Right now, I’m standing my ground. Curious and mysterious is where I stand on this out-of-the-blue “visa review” development. Space is given to the local political hands to come out and say count us out. Allowance is also made for the Americans to share some official speak about ‘routine’ or ‘of no special significance.’ Just what was on the timetable, part of the dept of state’s official calendar.

A question is worth the try. Are the Mohameds fishing? Try a second: are they on sound ground? I offer no help. But I restate some facts from the recent past. The U.S. Government worked on the Guyana Govt to kickout a Cuban medical brigade, plus some other stragglers. Also, the U.S. Government got the Guyana Government to sign-on to a deal that is still largely secret relative to third country nationals that go by the name of deportees. The same U.S. Government that was so bent out of shape with Cubans being present in Guyana, and commanded the Guyana Govt to expel them, then turns right around, and dispatches a handful of Cubans to Guyana. Apparently, there are different grades of Cubans. Like eggs: some to be tossed out, others to be boiled alive. Has this not what has been happening in the U.S. Government-Guyana Govt machinations that see Cubans on a plane and back to their versions of Guantanamo? Then another small set on a plane to this hellhole that a U.S. president used a more colorful word to describe Third World countries.

Those are the facts, and I dare anyone to dispute them. Now, without taking so much as a lick out of the Mohameds book of lament, try this third question, my fellow Guyanese. Having done so many favours for the U.S. Government, isn’t the Guyana Govt due for a favour of its own? It has been a one-way street to this day. Whatever Uncle Sam wants, Uncle Sam collects. C’mon folks! everyone is encouraged to put on their thinking caps. At least, just this once. How big of a favour (one that is overdue) for the Guyana Govt to put in this plea to the U.S. Government: take a look at the visa of this or that person who has been causing a world of trouble down here?

Frankly, it is beyond my intelligence level, admittedly low to begin with, to think of what this so-called “visa review” entails. A DS-160 Form is a DS-160 Form (nonimmigrant visa). If there was a misstatement of information that was material that would have been detected at the inception. Did the honorable judge answer “No” to one of those many questions, when he should have selected “Yes”? If he did, he would not have been allowed to get away with that, never allowed to set foot in the U.S. He was there at least once, to which I can personally attest. So, what has changed with this “visa review” judge? Does he have some secret connection to the Houthis? How about ISIS in Guyana (don’t be surprised)? Is there evidence of corruption, aiding and abetting, gangsters, using the umbrella of the law and his position as gatekeeper of justice and truth?

I will step up, have my say: no to all those areas, those suspicions, those developments! Now, this returns all Guyanese back to the Mohameds and their contention about ‘political hand.’ By process of elimination, reason, and undertaking a walk through a loaded minefield, there isn’t much else left. Note a silent Guyana Government. Note also an American Embassy now also silent, most concerned about noise nuisance.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

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GHK Lall, Gino Persaud, Mohameds, political hand, visa

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