37 people, 7 organisatons call on Dharamlall to exit public life

May 20, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – Amid fresh sexual assault allegations against Nigel Dharamlall, an Executive Member of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and former Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, 37 individuals and seven organisations are demanding his withdrawal from public life.

Recently, Dharamlall was re-elected to the 35-member Central Executive of the PPP. He secured the sixth highest number of votes among those nominated for the 40-member Central Executive Body and five non-voting members. In a letter to the editor, it was stated, “The election of Nigel Dharamlall is glaring in its insensitivity and demonstrates a contemptuous disregard for the trauma of sexual violence and the physical and deeply psychological scars and suffering of victims/survivors.” ( See full letter on page 4)

It was highlighted that there was a huge outcry from many sections of the Guyanese public just last year when, Dharamlall was accused of raping a 16-year-old Indigenous school girl. During the investigation into the rape allegation, Dharamlall stepped down from his ministerial post. The alleged victim had also withdrawn her complaint after an official statement was taken by trained forensic professionals in the presence of police officers.

“It is well known that victims/survivors of rape and sexual violence often experience threats, bullying, coercion and fear; as well as pressure from public vilification causing shame and embarrassment, and so do not always go through with the prosecution of their cases. This is why NGO’s, CSOs and individuals have, for years, been advocating for such criminal cases to proceed, even when victims/survivors withdraw from their cases, and where the State has enough evidence to prosecute,” it was stated.

It was outlined in the letter that Guyana’s Code for Prosecutors (2018) supports this approach, stating that the reluctance of victims/survivors is not sufficient grounds to drop a case, “especially given the clear power imbalance of perpetrator and victim – as was the case of Dharamlall and the school girl.”

The state’s decision to discontinue the case against Dharamlall was criticised and labeled as sending a message of impunity, shielding those in power from accountability. Despite being granted station bail for the alleged rape, Dharamlall was not subjected to the standard operating procedures for major crime cases, which typically involve court-set bail. Instead, he voluntarily took paid administrative leave and later resigned amid growing public outcry.

The letter also criticised the ineffective functioning of the National Task Force for the Prevention of Sexual Offences. Although a new task force was appointed in 2020, no national plan for preventing sexual violence has been released. Additionally, it was underscored that the task force lacks representation from NGOs specialising in child sexual abuse and other relevant organisations.

The ongoing issue of sexual and gender-based violence in Guyana is starkly highlighted by the 2018 Guyana’s Women’s Health and Life Experiences Survey (GWHLES), which reported that half of Guyanese women will experience some form of gender-based violence in their lifetime, the letter noted. It was added, “This figure is among the highest in the world. Other high incidences from the study show 38% of Guyanese women experiencing physical and/or sexual violence and 20% of women experiencing non-partner sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.”

Further, it was stated that the situation is compounded by the recent report from Indigenous leaders representing six communities. They highlighted the pervasive nature of gender-based violence and child sexual abuse in their regions, citing inadequate support services, political interference, and discrimination as significant barriers to justice for survivors.

The composition of the PPP’s new Central Executive has also come under scrutiny, with only seven women elected to the 35-member committee, representing a mere 20%. This disparity raises questions about the party’s commitment to gender equality, especially given that over 50% of Guyana’s population is female.

“It appears that PPP delegates didn’t think that, apart from Gail Teixeira, none of the elected women were good enough to be included in the top 15 of those receiving votes, and worse, they preferred alleged rapist Nigel Dharamlall above Pauline Sukhai, Vindhya Persaud, and Indranie Chandarpal. What message does this recent PPP congress send to women in Guyana?” the letter states.

The signatories of the letter called for Dharamlall’s withdrawal as police investigate new allegations of sexual assault against him. “We call on Mr. Dharamlall to resign immediately and exit public life,” they said. Additionally, they made recommendations to the PPP Central Committee to: Comprehensively address and end the impunity of officials from crimes under the Sexual Offences Act and the Domestic Violence Act in Indigenous communities and throughout Guyana; commit to education on Gender Based Violence and relevant laws for its members and provide gender equality education for fair representation of women within its Central Committee.

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• 35-member Central Executive of the PPP, Nigel Dharamlall, rape allegation, sexual violence

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