THE United States Embassy here yesterday refuted a statement by the Home Affairs Ministry that it had claimed that 50 Mormons were asked to leave Guyana because of espionage activities.

The ministry on Wednesday night referred to “a report purportedly originating from the Embassy of the United States of America” that the missionaries belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints have been asked to leave the country because they were engaged in espionage activities, and said the report was “false and unfounded”.

But the embassy, in a statement yesterday, said its communications with the Government of Guyana in the case of the U.S. citizen missionaries have been official and diplomatic and, as such, private and privileged.

“The embassy has not, and would not, issue or originate reports as indicated within that (ministry’s) statement”, it said.

The Guyana Government Thursday reiterated that the missionaries, who overstayed their visitors’ permits and whose work permits have expired, have to leave the country within a month.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, stressed that the Mormons were asked to leave because they broke the law.

“…if the competent authority advises you, an intended visitor, or you a visitor whose permit for stay in Guyana has expired and is not being extended or renewed then, like everywhere in the world you subscribe to the law and you leave. This is the norm…that is the issue”, Luncheon declared.

The Mormons were detained at Police headquarters in Georgetown Wednesday and were released after church representatives met President Bharrat Jagdeo on the issue.

The Home Affairs Ministry said the church’s High Representatives here agreed that the 50 will leave voluntarily within a month.

The ministry said that after considering all the circumstances of this matter, and committed to finding a workable solution, a meeting was convened at the Office of the President at the request of President Jagdeo.

At the meeting were Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and the two High Representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in Guyana.

The ministry said the church leaders were informed that while Guyana is a free, open and tolerant society, the laws of the land must be respected by all.

They were also assured that there is no intention to deport the 50 missionaries, it said.

“However, in keeping with the laws of Guyana those 50 persons whose work permits and extension of stay have expired will leave the country voluntarily within one month.

“Replacement missionaries associated with the church will be allowed to enter the jurisdiction and to conduct their activities provided they are granted work permits in advance of their arrival”, the ministry said.

At his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing yesterday, Luncheon said the convention is “once you are advised that the stay is no longer being entertained, that visitors leave…that’s the issue.”