How much money is the PPP government of Guyana willing to pay for the life of a child molested by a minister of its government?
Furthermore, how far will a government go to protect an evidently deviant member of its cabinet? Reports are that Minister Priya Manickchand, and the President Irfan Ali, parents themselves, met with the victim and her family. It is alleged that they encouraged that the matter be settled. A regional education officer was even dispatched to meet with the victim and her family also with a view to covering up the issue. Is the government content to cover for a Minister who is clearly deviant and a serial sexual predator?
Earlier this week, I was contacted, told of a case and asked to assist where a minor girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by Local Government Minister Nigel Dharamlall last December. As she is a minor, she will be referred to as X. Later that very evening, I made contact with X, spoke with her at length and indicated I would help with whatever she needed. Efforts were then made to so do.
Reports are that yesterday, the regional education officer at the behest of Education Minister Manickchand and President Ali met with X and her parents. The information I received reads as follows:
"Good evening. X msg me and said that someone sent her letter to the Minister Manickchand and the president and Ms. Manickchand told the Chief Education Officer to call her in his office. They told her it would be bad for her to go public. Then Nigel called her parents and he went to Essequibo and met with them and settled the matter monetarily. He asked her forgiveness and said he would go to church and pray . So that’s it and if she go forward her safety would be compromised."
Is this the "One Guyana" the PPP Government talks about? Where, from the head right down allegedly tries to cover up the violation of a minor girl? When will this behavior be deemed unacceptable?
The fact that this is not the first incident involving this particular minister seems to be of no moment to President Ali and his government. Their alleged attempts to cover up a crime is tantamount to state sanctioned abuse. When will the international human rights organizations take note of these kinds of atrocities perpetrated on Guyana's most valuable resources.
Isn't the government embarrassed to be harbouring someone with these deviant and predatory proclivities? What if it were one of their relatives? Would something be done then? This minister must never again be in a position to use his office to carry out these dastardly acts upon innocents.
When the reports of the alleged assault began to make the social media rounds and one such post indicated that today, a letter was sent to the president. Ali this afternoon issued a statement.
In the statement, Ali admitted to receiving the letter. He said he was "appalled" by the allegations made against Dharamlall. Adding that the matter would be investigated. The statement conveniently omitted that he was a part of the group that met with X and her parents. Something that X herself indicated.
My question is why did the president and the minister not say then to those folks that the matter would be investigated the full extent of the law? In fact, their presence could be viewed as a show of force, coupled with coercion to a somewhat unsophisticated and unconnected family.
Moreover, this is not the first allegation made against Minister Dharamlall. Last year, an overseas-based young lady, Shanaz Hussain, spoke out of her experience with Minister Dharamlall, who allegedly sent her photos of his penis and other salacious texts. When asked about it, President Ali dismissed it. Arguably, a pattern which he seems to adopt until now being forced to address same.
It is most disconcerting and alarming that the government would be actively involved in this sort of cover up. If the allegations of a pay off are true, then shame on the PPP Government. We can and must do better by our children.
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