Melly Mel claimed she was a US citizen yet was arrested for visa overstay – Nandlall exposes absurdity in now-deleted statement

Controversial social media personality, Melissa “Melly Mel” Atwell on Tuesday released a statement, which she has since deleted from her Facebook page, blaming the Government of Guyana for her arrest and detention in the United States of America for visa overstay.

Despite acknowledging that the detention by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surrounds her overstay in that country, she claimed that information was leaked by a lobbying firm hired by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government.

During his programme ‘Issues in the News’ on Tuesday, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Nandlall highlighted the absurdity of the now-deleted statement.

Firstly, he reminded that Atwell previously told her followers that she is an American citizen.

“She also told us that she writes to the FBI regularly and that she writes to the American Government regularly and that she has great protection in the United States,” he noted.

Nandlall also reminded that Atwell previously expressed much confidence in the United States’ justice system.

“Imagine the great United States of America and she always says how great they are…The great United States of America where the justice system works and the law works, will have to wait on the PPP to send a message to them, according to her, through a lobbying firm, to inform ICE that she has overstayed and that her marriage is fraudulent. The PPP is so powerful that the US government will stop all their business and they’ll listen to the PPP and they will go after this character,” Nandlall highlighted.

The Attorney General made it clear that the PPP Government has neither the time or resources to expend behind a singular social media “character”.

“We have a government to run, we have a country to manage, we have people’s welfare to look after, we have the future of this country to manage and protect and preserve. We have neither the time nor the energy or the inclination to expend valuable energy and resources behind characters such as these,” he said.

“We have a lot more important things to do…our world doesn’t revolve around these characters contrary to what a lot of people may think,” Nandlall added.

Atwell spent two weeks in US custody before her hearing on Friday last. She was granted bond in the sum of US$7,500, and will return to court on April 18.

Atwell and her supporters including members of the Parliamentary Opposition in Guyana, continue to state that the US Government was influenced by the PPP to effect the arrest.

This is despite the fact that Atwell was arrested for visa overstay, an immigration offence.