GEORGETOWN, Guyana —Guyanese President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has rejected the resignation of chairman of the MV Barima Commission of Inquiry retired Justice Godfrey Smith, after his United States of America visa was revoked.

Smith, a Belizean who served as the country’s attonery general and Minister of Foreign Affairs, revealed to media on the resumption of the commission of inquiry that he had written to the Ali on Monday shortly after being notified of the revocation offering his resignation.

But he noted it was “emphatically declined.”

“I confirmed that, as a matter of professionalism, the professional thing to do, as it is not my decision, as I had not appointed myself, somebody else appointed me, the President and the professional thing to do is to inform him of what has happened and to offer to him to resign in the event he believes that it could in any way hinder or hamper my role as Chairman of the Commission,” Smith explained.

Smith also attempted to resign as chairman of the University of Belize but that was also rejected.

Smith said he attempted to get an explanation for his visa’s revocation but non was provided by the US Embassy in Belize.

“I called the US Embassy to verify that it was accurate, that it was not a fake email, and to find out what the reasons were for the revocation,” he told reporters.

“I reached the US Embassy. They confirmed that indeed the State Department had issued that revocation, but there was no further information that they could provide.”

Without a clear explanation,  Smith said he was left to speculate that his visa was revoked due to his activities as university chairman where he had invited Chinese academics to participate in exchanges and arranged study tours for Belizean youths.

“I am aware that the United States government has indicated that it frowns upon any expansion of China’s footprint in Latin America, and all I am left to surmise is that my activities as chairman of the union, having visited China and sending students there, is a message and a signal that that should not be done,” he said.

Belize alongside St Kitts and Nevis, Haiti, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines are Taiwan’s last remaining allies in the Caribbean.

mith added he has no intention of challenging the decision or seeking another US visa.

“I have stated publicly elsewhere that I do not wish to appeal the decision. I do not wish to reapply for a United States visa. I accept their decision and will move on from there,” he said.