Child sex felon Dr Vishwamintra Persaud appeared before the Medical Council of Guyana on Monday and was “very open” according to its Chairman, Dr. Sheik Amir.
Dr. Amir said that the doctor was punctual for the start of the meeting which lasted for some time as many questions were posed. Dr. Persaud responded to the questions raised by the Council members and now awaits their deliberations.
Preliminarily, the Council has reached certain conclusions, but Dr. Amir cautioned yesterday that the deliberations could take a few days. He said too that the Council’s attorney would also have to review its decision in the case prior to a conclusive ruling.
“I am aware that some people would like to see this matter expedited, but again we have to make provisions for due process”, Dr. Amir said yesterday.
Prior to his appearance before the Council, Dr. Persaud had failed to respond to an earlier correspondence from the Council and he was later summoned to the meeting.
Dr Persaud was granted an institutional licence, which limits him to one hospital and stipulates that he work under supervision, after he failed to submit a certificate of good standing to the council.
Alliance For Change leaders denounced Dr. Persaud’s employment in public health during a protest on Monday outside of the Georgetown Public Hospital. Its presidential candidate Khemraj Ramjattan said that credential checks ought to have been made prior to the doctor’s employment, noting that certain persons wanted him to be employed because he is favoured.
“We are demanding that he be terminated forthwith…”, he added.
On Sunday when Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy was asked about Dr Persaud’s continued employment at the hospital, he said that the hospital does not have to wait on the Council to make a decision about the doctor’s future there. According to him “they are discussing it, they have written to me asking me certain questions but I hadn’t had a chance to answer them but I will answer them.”
He said that while he has an opinion on the issue “.. I don’t want to prejudice anything…” The minister indicated that he would have issued a statement on the issue sometime yesterday, but no statement has been forthcoming.
Recently, Help and Shelter said it will strenuously and actively oppose any attempt to retain Dr Persaud as a medical doctor in Guyana.
