Opposition protesting actions of a sovereign State – AG on ‘Melly Mel’ detention

Members of the parliamentary opposition – particularly the Peoples National Congress/A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change – on Tuesday joined a protest in Georgetown that was staged to show solidarity with controversial social media personality Melissa Ann Atwell, popularly known as “Melly Mel,” who has been arrested by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since last week.

During his programme ‘Issues in the News’ later that evening, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall highlighted that the opposition – through its actions – is protesting the United States administration.

“The Government of Guyana did not arrest Melissa Atwell. The Government of Guyana is not detaining Melissa Atwell. It cannot be that they are protesting the Government of Guyana, they have to be protesting the Government of the United States of America,” Nandlall contended.

The Opposition, however, is denying that it is protesting the Donald Trump administration’s policies, claiming that it is protesting the “likely role” the PPP Government played in Atwell’s arrest.

But Nandlall has contended that, “those persons who are protesting out there must understand that they are protesting the actions of a sovereign government enforcing its laws within the territory of that sovereign country, as that sovereign government has a legal duty to do.”

According to Nandlall, the opposition’s actions “lack judgement” and their action is a demonstration of how ‘gullible and fanciful’ their mentality is and their ability to assess a situation.

“They are marketing it as though it is some freedom of expression issue. How is this a freedom of expression issue? This lady was allowed to express her opinion freely for years but no one during that period attempted to interfere with her right to express herself,” he said.

Some opposition members who participated in the protest include Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton as well as Sherod Duncan, Coretta McDonald and Cathy Hughes.

Among other things, the protesters were chanting “Free Melly Mel”.