Arrest and detaining of Melly Mel by ICE is not about PPP/C

Mar 24, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

We will have to await the outcome of the court case of Social Media Activist, Melissa ‘Melly Mel’ Atwell, who is scheduled to appear before U.S. Immigration Judge, Francis Mwangi, virtually, at 8:30am, on March 28. Until then, we will not know the true circumstances surrounding her present plight – if it will be annulled and more so, if the People’s Progressive Party Civic had anything to do with her arrest. As I personally await, I have a few things to share with the public.

First, ICE, or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is not anyone’s ‘plaything.’ This unit is the US federal law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and it is responsible for enforcing ‘immigration laws, combating transnational crime, and investigating customs and trade violations.’ Where ICE is concerned, anyone can report cases regarding suspected human smuggling, human trafficking, national security threats, or public safety concerns. This arm of the US Government is not interested in ‘little cussings’ from every Tom, Dick and Harry, and I cannot fathom the Guyana Government’s ‘complaining’ to ICE about Melly’s silly rantings and wild accusations. So many, for example Rickford Burk and Mark Benschop, have been doing this kind of thing, that what they say, and who they are, have now become non-issues. I recall when Hakeem Jeffries, Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), House Democratic Leader, visited Guyana in September 2023, and met with both sides of the country’s political leaders, how things turned out…or maybe did not turn out.

I thought this was an opportune moment for the solidifying of ‘racial and other attacks and accusations’ against the PPP/C. However, in a disappointing anticlimax, the CBC said that “… it had a productive meeting and discussed energy and food security, regional economic prosperity, and economic stewardship … (but) nothing about “racism” and ethnic discrimination.” I quietly asked if this ‘racial slant’ is not the constant ranting of the Mellys, Burkes and Benschops?

Editor, this is where I back Guyana’s Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, who vehemently explained that “… the (PPP/C) Government played no role whatsoever in the arrest of Melissa ‘Melly Mel’ Atwell in the United States.” This explanation and clarification stemmed from Opposition’s “… protests, encouraging Guyanese in the Diaspora to lobby for her release … as the government has been accused of lodging complaints about her social media criticisms of them and the alleged corruption.”

As I pointed out before, these ‘non-evidential’ triflings do not concern ICE. These pertain to the Guyana Government or specific people within the government. Anil emphasised this, and reminded the public that “… he had served Melly Mel a libel suit and though he had some difficulty doing so subsequent to that, she continued her work via her social media page.”

Well, it is that news, via ‘second-hand’ avenues, was verified and we now know for sure that Melly was arrested and detained … and is currently being held in Federal facilities located somewhere in Louisiana. Like I pointed out, the arresting agency is the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency, which is an organisation that primarily deals with the enforcement of immigration laws, investigating and prosecuting persons for violations of the said law.

I personally think that if the PPP/C really was behind Melly’s arrest, then it begs the question, ‘why Melly?’ I mean is she a threat to the PPP/C? I apply this thinking to Burke and my question is ‘why not Burke?’ who is in fact wanted in Guyana, and who missed a court hearing. Also, “This lady was allowed to express her opinion for years and no one during that period (ever) interfered with her right to express herself.

I remind all who are following this issue that as per the role and function of ICE, Melissa Atwell’s detention is in relation to her immigration status, which will be under the radar this week, March 28. So, it is quite galling, or maybe silly, that many persons in Guyana are protesting under the guise that the Government of Guyana was involved and thus calling for some kind of revocation to guarantee her release. Preposterous!

Readers, stop and think please, as the AG specifically stated the” …  Government of Guyana did not arrest Melissa Atwell, the Government of Guyana is not detaining Melissa Atwell, (and) from all the information that is available, it is the US government that has arrested and is detaining Melissa Atwell.” I therefore call on these protestors to lobby the Government of the United States (do it in the US or even in front of the US Embassy in Guyana. My position is captured in the stand taken by Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, who, when he was asked to comment on the said arrest, succinctly and abruptly stated that “… they are not concerned about that…” It is exclusively a US and Ms. Atwell’s matter.

Yours truly,

Hargesh B. Singh

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