"Charrandass talked to me about starting a party"- he was about to be charged-Ryan Crawford

“Charrandass talked to me about starting a party”– he was about to be charged–Ryan Crawford

Jan 13, 2019 News

By Malisa Playter Harry

Expelled member of the Alliance for Change (AFC) and Attorney-at-law Charrandass Persaud had signalled his intention to form a new party shortly after his historic December 21, 2018 vote in the National Assembly.
He voted ‘yes’ in support of the opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic No-confidence motion.
Speaking with a member from the recently established Federal United Party (FED UP), Ryan Crawford, after their party launch on Friday, revealed that he had a conversation with Persaud on birthing a new political party.
According to Crawford, who is also a close friend of Persaud, “I spoke with Charrandass because I am helping him with some court matters and he was talking to me about starting a party.”
He added that at the time when Persaud made the proposal to him, FED UP Party was already in the making. This, he said, was indicated to Persaud. “I told him that I would love to but I have already made commitments to Mr. Sohan”.
Despite him turning down Persaud’s offer, the FED UP lawyer stated that Persaud is free to join and participate just like anyone else could.

Former MP, Charrandass Persaud and Ryan Crawford

What is being done is not a means of “controlling whoever joins” but rather to have something different. “He is free to join”, Crawford said.
Charrandass Persaud, minutes after voting ‘yes’ in favour of the opposition’s No-Confidence motion, spoke with reporters outside of parliament.
He told reporters that it was the end of his political career and that he would not be joining any party.
“I will not join any political party from here on in or be a candidate. You will see that my word is just not hot air. I will not be a candidate for any party”.
Crawford also related that Persaud was supposed to be charged on the day his video of the “cuss out” surfaced.

He explained that Persaud was being investigated and had received a summons to appear in court on that very day.
“A lot of people don’t know this but the car was Mr. Charrandass’s own. He was investigated. Mr. Charrandass received a summons to go to court that day. He was supposed to be charged then but because he was a Member of Parliament he was not,” Crawford divulged.
While he declined to expound more on the issue, he did express his opinion that Persaud will be charged if he returns to Guyana.

The reason he said, is “arrogance”, arrogance on the government’s part. This he noted, was one of the main reason’s Persaud voted against the government.
He said, “They knew that he was going to defect and they did nothing about it. There was the arrogance that he would not dare do something like that and when he did, now they are going after him to punish him.” Crawford further went on to explain that the issue with Persaud’s senario was due to the fact that he was not a representative for the people. “He was selected from AFC to go to parliament. If he was elected to go to parliament he would speak for the people, so he was accountable to the people.”
According to Crawford, who once supported the AFC publicly, “Charrandass had no constituency, he had a loyalty to party and that is why they (government) are upset. He is seen as a betrayal to a party”.
Crawford’s party was launched on Friday with other members Attorney Chandra Sohan and Horatio Edmonson at the Central Corentyne Chambers building.