Opposition calls for sacking of Charrandas

Oct 26, 2022 News

…as condemnation grows over his ‘vile attack’ on Indian woman

Kaieteur News – The main Opposition Parties on Monday flayed Guyana’s High Commissioner to India, Charrandas Persaud, for his “vile” attack on a woman in India last year and has called on the Irfaan Ali administration to immediately recall the envoy and sack him.

“By now, Guyanese have seen a video clip circulating on social media showing Guyana’s High Commissioner to India, Charrandas Persaud, hurling vile remarks towards a female, at a location in India. The content of that video ought to fill all Guyanese with outrage and disgust,” Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Amanza Walton-Desir said in a statement.

Guyana’s High Commissioner to India, Charandas Persaud

“Even more outrageous and disgusting however, is the response of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on this matter,” Walton-Desir added. In the face of the video recording where Persaud was overheard using expletives and sexual degrading words towards the woman, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the matter was closed and that following a full investigation by the relevant authorities and a formal response to the High Commission dated September 3, 2022 indicates that “allegations of sexual abusive words to complainant has [sic] not been substantiated”

However, Walton-Desir said the process through which the Ministry purports to bring finality to the incident is woefully inadequate, disrespectful, and does not satisfy the most basic standards of accountability to the people of Guyana. “In that short clip, Mr. Persaud smashed and dashed several principles connected to our treaty obligations as it relates to the treatment of women, diplomatic etiquette and of plain general decency. Our Foreign Service personnel walk in the footsteps of the likes of Sir Sridath Ramphal and the late Rashleigh Jackson, who are regarded the world over, as diplomats par exellence. It is therefore galling that we have plummeted to the depths of Persaud’s most reprehensible behaviour. The Ministry’s response makes it clear that such conduct is acceptable. It is not!” “We cannot purport to present ourselves in the community of nations as any country of consequence, with Mr. Persaud being in the ranks of our foreign service. The Government of Government must immediately recall Charrandas Persaud to save whatever modicum of respect for our diplomacy and foreign representation which might remain,” the Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister concluded.

Vulgar display

Meanwhile, for its part, Persaud’s former Party- the Alliance For Change called on the Government to recall him from his post.“A short video has gone viral. In the video a male individual is heard ranting in a most vulgar display of ignorance and arrogance against a most mild-mannered woman. It is believed that the male in the video may be Guyana’s High Commissioner to India, Charrandas Persaud.”

The AFC the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued a statement confirming that the incident took place at the High Commissioner’s residence in India. “India has been a close ally and friend to Guyana even prior to our independence in 1966. Since then India has rendered assistance to our development in various forms ranging from scholarships to their universities, Indian medical professionals who have served in this country, cultural exchanges and financial packages favourable to Guyana are but of the assistance provided to Guyana over the years.”

The Alliance For Change disassociated itself from Persaud who holds office as representative of our nation and urges his recall. “This would save us a diplomatic embarrassment and forcing a friendly and ally nation to label the Diplomat, “persona non grata”. There is also circulating on social media a report alleging criminal conduct perpetrated by Charrandas Persaud. In the social media post which is believed to be based on a police report, a woman accuses the diplomat of sexual harassment and outraging and insulting her modesty. In the seeming complaint the diplomat is named and address given. The complainant is said to be in her 60s and an animal rights activists who feeds over 200 stray dogs daily including a dog owned by the Diplomat. The abuse is said to have occurred on one of her good Samaritan daily rounds.”

The AFC said while noting the Vienna Convention to which both Guyana and India are signatories, the complaint notes that the behaviour displayed by the Diplomat is not immune from prosecution under various sections of India’s Penal Code and carries terms of imprisonment and/or fine.

According to the statement from Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the matter was investigated, and a report sent to the Guyana High Commission. However, the AFC said while most of our Diplomats serve with distinction, there are a few political appointees who bring nothing but disgrace to our country. “Charrandas Persaud should be recalled immediately on grounds of conduct unbecoming of an Ambassador and an apology issued to the Government and people of India,” the AFC release stated.

No confidence vote

Persaud gained notoriety back in 2018 when he stunned the nation by voting to bring down the then APNU+AFC Coalition Government. He was appointed High Commissioner to India after the PPP/C’s victory at the March 2020 polls. Persaud was accredited back in March 2021 by Ram Nath Kovind, then President of India.

At the accreditation ceremony President Kovind said India enjoys warm and friendly relations with the countries as their ties are deeply rooted in a common vision of peace and prosperity. The President also extended his gratitude to the countries for supporting India’s candidature for the non-permanent seat of UN Security Council for the term 2021-22. Additionally, the President said India has been at the forefront of global efforts to forge a decisive and coordinated response to COVID-19. He said under the Government’s Vaccine Maitri Initiative, highly affordable vaccines made in India and have already been distributed to several countries worldwide. To this end, the Ambassadors and High Commissioners expressed gratitude to India for supplying their countries with quantities of the vaccine. To date, Guyana has received from India a donation of 80,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine COVISHIELD, which were made in India. India was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Guyana after it gained independence on May 26, 1966.