A long history of alleged predatory behaviour by PPP Government ministers, others

Jun 29, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

Come 2025, Guyanese will get another chance to decide whether they condone or condemn abusers.Just one day after Nigel Dharamlall shameful arrest, President Ali along with Minister Priya Manickchand went straight into damage control mode. Suddenly, there were opening ceremonies for schools, ‘Thank you’ parties and outreaches all done with a hope that the citizens get shallow memories, forget, and move on. Like a terrible cancer, the narrative did not away.  It was not business as usual.

PPPC has a history of tolerating abusers and even making mockery of sexual abuse. The sitting Minister of Education brought shame to the Parliament by screaming ‘Rape’ when that didn’t occur. Hypocritically in 2009 as reported by Stabroek News, the headline read ‘PPP concerned over continuing domestic violence’ and called for policy implementation. Now this is not a joke, Google it.

Let’s go down memory lane of PPPC vulgarity, and abuse of power that made the news. Some claims were denied and as such they remain as allegations, but they can be found online in the media. Perhaps in the interest of transparency, the President should reopen the unsolved cases.

2007: Local Government Minister Lall allegedly gun-butted 19-year-old Doodnauth and then fired his gun in the air several times following a drunken brawl at an East Coast Demerara bar. The gun-toting minister shares a relationship with the teenager’s aunt and may have mistaken Doodnauth for a rival, while at a barbecue event at Vryheid’s Lust, ECD. This led to the government official allegedly slamming the young man in the forehead with his firearm and later on the road driving his vehicle close to Doodnauth and jamming him, following which he fired his weapon in the air. This was reported by all media houses.

2009: Stabroek News on January 21, 2009 reported that the Former First Lady complained of poor treatment by then President Jagdeo and now General Secretary of PPPC, and said she was a victim of ‘hi-tech domestic violence’. After years in this situation, she said she tried to get the President to agree to an amicable split, but she said he refused to cooperate and entertain any dialogue until after the then last general election, in 2006. She said that for a two-year period, she was denied access to the Presidential apartment at State House. If she was not home by 6pm, she explained, the apartment door would be locked with the latch from the inside so she could not open it with her key: “When I was locked out, I would have to spend the night on a sofa on the first floor, without a sheet, get murdered by mosquitoes, praying for the night to pass quickly so I could get into my room, bathe, and get to office, or to my public engagements etc.” She added that even if she were home before the time, she would simply be in her own room by herself, reading and listening to music. Guyanese shouldn’t be shocked when the read of abuses perpetrated by members of PPPC since it’s head is no stranger to such, as based on the statements made by his ex-wife. It was laughable by all when GS Jagdeo said PPPC has no tolerance for abusers.

2009: ‘Kwame Mc Coy gets Court injunctions against 3 media houses’. KWAME Mc Coy, Press Liaison to the President, is claiming $150M from three media houses, whom he has taken to Court for continued harassment. He has been granted an injunction restraining the defendants, Prime News, Enrico Woolford of Capitol News and National Media Publishing Co. Ltd., alleging persecution and seeking injunctions and damages in a sum in excess of $150M.   Acting Chief Justice Mr. Ian Chang ordered that interim injunction be granted.

2014: The media reported an allegation of rape of a 16-year-old by Former Local Government Minister, Ganga Persaud. The Minister subsequently resigned but he denied the allegations. Pro PPPC online outfit Inews, reported that the rape allegation and having a relationship with a minor is what caused the resignation of the Minister of Local Government, Ganga Persaud, have been described as “scandalous” and a “big lie” by an associate close to the Minister. The Minister denied the allegations.

2014: There were calls for the current AG to resign. He was in the news for exposed conversation between him and a Kaieteur News reporter.

2015: Reported by Kaieteur News on April, 22, then Health Minister Bheri Ramsaran verbally abused, threatened to slap female activist, Sherlina Nageer, and later issued a carefully worded apology for his gross indiscretion. The activist felt the wrath of the Minister because she, from all indications, touched a nerve as she questioned him about his presence on a protest front. Dr. Bheri is a sitting Member of Parliament.

2015: HGPTV reports that rampaging PPP youth activist, Kwame McCoy is on the loose again…this time hurling verbal abuse at private media operatives he deems Opposition.

2019: Member of Parliament (MP) for the Opposition, People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Alister Charlie, has denied allegations of attempted rape of a minor sometime last week. The issue was first reported in the Kaieteur News and the Guyana Chronicle on August 2. It was reported that the incident allegedly occurred in Lethem, Region Nine.  However, the Opposition MP refuted the allegations which he described as “false”.

2019:  Reported by Guyana Chronicle that the ChildCare and Protection Agency (CPA) had launched an investigation into an alleged case of rape of a 22-year-old young man by PPP Region One official, Brentnol Ashley.

2020: Guyana Chronicle reported that PPP candidate under probe for alleged sexual molestation of teen. Mourning the death of his 13-year-old daughter, who allegedly took her own life on Saturday, believed to be as a result of suffering she felt over being sexually assaulted by the family’s pandit, who is said to be a candidate of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC). Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean, said that while the pandit is out on bail for the reported sexual assault, which was first reported on February 17, there are no current plans to bring him back in light of the child’s death.

2021: Government MP, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo’s displayed to the National Assembly a vibrating dildo (a sex toy). It is unclear, however, how and where the former coalition government sourced this device, since the Laws of Guyana prohibit the importation of sex toys.

2022: PPP/C activist Ossie Rodgers slapped and gun-butted Kamla Bharrat at Bath Settlement in a supermarket.

2022: The infamous “dildo” comment made by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall in the House. No action was taken against him.

2022: The debacle involving Guyana’s High Commissioner to India, Charrandas Persaud is just another statistic of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)’s “torrid” record of abuse against women. One day after the video made headlines, President Ali said that he spoke to Persaud, who assured him that the matter had been resolved. Persaud’s response mirrored that of Guyana’s Foreign Ministry, which said that it considers the matter closed. Here is the first attempt was made to hush the matter. It was only after public pressure, the President in a lame duck manner recalled the envoy.

2022: Stabroek News reported that a New York-based woman accuses Minister Dharamlall of harassing her for sex. As expected of any lame president, he asked that she should report to the police failing to realize the gravity of the allegations.

2023: Minister of Local Government Nigel Dharamlall arrested and placed on one-million-dollar bail for allegedly raping underage girl.

The question is how many more and how many will be swept under the carpet. The PPPC has a women arm called WPO and it is dead silent on these issues. As an organization, their credibility will be lost since it would seem that they don’t have the courage to speak about the abuses within the party. At some time, Guyanese must demand more of its leaders, Let’s start by ensuring that in 2025, we don’t have a lame duck president.

Yours truly,

A. Khan

• Bath Settlement, Kamla Bharrat, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, Stabroek News