Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran on Monday verbally abused rights activist Sherlina Nageer and he was recorded during the encounter saying that he would slap her for the fun of it and have her stripped in a public place.
Repeated efforts by Stabroek News to reach Ramsaran yesterday were futile but he later issued a statement in which he apologised for his comments during the confrontation, which took place outside the Whim Magistrate’s Court. “It was unfortunate that I was provoked into anger and uttered harsh words at her for which I now regret,” he said in a brief statement.
In the recording, which was circulated yesterday on social media, Ramsaran can be heard calling Nageer a “piece of shit” and an “idiot” before asking her to get out of his face. She was at the time confronting him about the deaths of women and children in the health care system under his watch.
Ramsaran had journeyed to Whim to support former President Bharrat Jagdeo, who was expected to attend the court to answer a private charge filed against him by attorney Christopher Ram.
The confrontation occurred after the minister labelled Ram a “wife beater” while being interviewed by reporters.
Nageer interjected and asked if Jagdeo did not have issues with his wife as well, at which point the minister asked who she was. Nageer also questioned why he was there when he was the Minister of Health and when women and children were dying under his watch.
Telling Nageer to “get out of my face,” Ramsaran then defended the government’s track record, saying that there are less maternity deaths now.
“We are going to win the elections and do better. Get the hell out my face,” the minister shouted but Nageer retorted that as the minister he has a responsibility to the people of Guyana.
She also added that his being at Whim was a waste of taxpayers’ money, to which Minister Ramsaran is heard saying, “I am a candidate for the PPP. F-off!”
He is later heard calling Nageer “a little piece of shit,” after which he called on a police officer to remove her as he claimed she was harassing him.
After Nageer was led away from where the minister was, he was then overheard saying that he would slap her “for fun” and have her stripped.
“I would slap her ass, you know, just for the, just for the fun, no, no, no just for the fun. No, I can have some of my women strip her here,” he said.
At the time, there were more than 60 women among a group of about 100 protestors who had turned up at the court in support of Jagdeo and who were taunting Ram and his supporters.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Nageer said that she was shocked at the manner in which the minister spoke to her because she has never been spoken to in such a way. After she observed the minister being interviewed, Nageer said she stood and listened and felt the need to interject when he called Ram an abuser.
“I was taken aback. I really didn’t expect to be cursed. We can disagree but someone in public office, to do this… I am not in any party; I am just a private citizen who is interested in accountability…,” Nageer said.
She recalled that last Monday she had stood in front of the Ministry of Health with relatives of two children who died in the public health care system under questionable circumstances and who wanted to meet with the minister for answers.
“And now this Monday the Minister of Health is heckling people at Whim,” she pointed out, before adding that she was within her rights to confront him.
“I was not threatening him. My hands were behind my back. I was not being abusive and I was engaging him in a public space,” she pointed out.
“We have a right to bring issues up and to get cursed and called a piece of shit is horrifying. I was never spoken to like that in my life and coming from a minister is worse,” Nageer added.
In his brief statement last evening, Ramsaran stated that during an interview with two journalists he was rudely interrupted by a woman, whom he said kept shouting and interrupting him throughout.
“I shifted away on several occasions in an attempt to avoid her but she persisted in interrupting the interview,” he said, while adding that he was provoked into anger and uttered harsh words that he had since regretted.
“I therefore wish to apologise for uttering those words,” he added.
Ramsaran’s apology is not typical of the administration’s response to recent recordings of government officials making offensive statements.
In one recording, President Donald Ramotar was heard calling an Aishalton teacher “stupid” during a public meeting in the Region Nine. Following the release of the recording, the Office of the President (OP) had stated that the contents of the recording would have to be authenticated.
The recording had been released 27 days after John Adams alleged that he was slapped by a presidential guard after he heckled the president during a speech at the same event.
In the recording, the president was heard bashing the opposition. There was a brief gap before he was heard saying, “You don’t know anything ’bout Jagdeo. If he been hey, he might have slap yuh cause yuh stupid.”
Another recording the government had promised to authenticate was one involving Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, who was overheard speaking about his knowledge of criminal activity and his use of government funds for personal expenditure. Nandlall has not denied that it was his voice on the recording and had said that the conversation was a private one between himself and a longtime friend, Kaieteur News reporter Leonard Gildarie.
There has been no word on the efforts to authenticate the two recordings.
A transcript of the exchange between rights activist Sherlina Nageer and Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran on Monday outside of the Whim Magistrate’s Court
Nageer: And Bharrat Jagdeo hasn’t had any issues with his wife?
Ramsaran: And you my dear, who are you?
Nageer: Minister Ramsaran, why are you here? Why are you here (inaudible) you’re not doing your job
Ramsaran: I am here, I am here. Which job? I’m a candidate, I’m a candidate
Nageer: You are the Minister of Health
Ramsaran: Shut yuh mouth and get out my face, out of my
Nageer: You are the minister, you have children dying
Ramsaran: No, no no,
Nageer: You have children dying under your watch
Ramsaran: No, no, no, just please, please
Nageer: Don’t touch me
Ramsaran: I’m not touching you, I’m not entertaining, please, oh yes my dear
Nageer: You have children dying under your watch, women and children dying under your watch
Ramsaran: We have less maternity deaths now. You idiot, we have less maternity deaths now
Nageer: What are you doing here? Wasting time
Ramsaran: I’m a candidate leading these people. We are going to win the elections and do better. Get the hell out my face
Nageer: You have a responsibility to the people of Guyana, ok, the health ok, of the people of Guyana, it’s your responsibility
Ramsaran: Please, please I’m having a private discussion, please
Nageer: This is a public road
Ramsaran: No, no
Nageer: This is a public road
Ramsarran: Well I’m having a private discussion
(something about recording by unknown person)
Nageer: This is a waste of taxpayers’ dollars ok
Ramsaran: I am a candidate for the PPP, F-off
Nageer: My money is paying your salary
Nageer: He just told me to F-off
Ramsaran: Yes, yes I did
Nageer: This is the quality of politicians, that is the quality of politicians ‘F-off, F-off’
Ramsaran: Little piece of shit
Nageer: I’m a little piece of shit?
Ramsaran: Yes, yes
Nageer: Well, you’re a bigger piece of shit
Ramsaran: Idiot
Nageer: If I’m a little piece of shit, you’re a bigger
Ramsarran: Officer could you stop this woman harassing me
Nageer: Oh I’m harassing you?
Ramsaran: Ok, please
Nageer: (inaudible) look where my hands are
Reporter: How many persons were in the
Ramsaran: Officer, I’m a candidate, I’m a candidate of the PPP and I’m here to support the activity legitimately ok, good
Nageer: (inaudible) women dying under your watch
Ramsaran: Less women and children dying than under the PNC
Ramsaran: I would slap her ass you know, just for the, just for the fun, no, no, no just for the fun. No, I can have some of my women strip her here.
