APNU yesterday dropped one of its candidates for tomorrow’s polls following a controversy over child molestation claims, a day after senior coalition official and Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence downplayed the matter.
“In light of the alleged behaviour of Mr Winston Harding and the pattern of accusations over the years, his candidature cannot be supported at this time,” APNU, the major partner in the governing coalition, said in a statement. Harding is contesting for the first-past-the-post seat in Constituency 13 (East and West Ruimveldt) at tomorrow’s local government polls.
Stabroek News reported yesterday that the APNU+AFC coalition was facing criticism for fielding a candidate – Harding – who has been repeatedly charged—although not convicted—for child molestation.
Lawrence, when contacted by Stabroek News, had said that the allegations are a “family issue.” Oscar Clarke, the General Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform, which is APNU’s largest constituent, when contacted by Stabroek News, had said that it was not an issue the party could do anything about at that time as the period for objections had passed. He said there was also the issue of the candidate denying the accusation and never having been convicted.
Yesterday, the coalition backtracked and declared its non-support for Harding and said the accusations of child molestation as reported in the media are a matter of grave concern. “APNU is cognizant of the fact that Mr Harding has not been convicted of any offence, but the gravity and nature of the accusations cannot be ignored or condoned,” the coalition said.
According to the statement, APNU is firmly against all forms of abuse especially the abuse of women, children and the elderly. “The Partnership takes seriously all allegations of abuse that are made against its members and supporters. In our 2015 Manifesto, we clearly state and affirm that the Domestic Violence Act and the Sexual Offences Act must at all times be enforced without compromise or exception,” it added.
The party’s stated stance and Lawrence’s as well as Clarke’s comments raise questions about their judgement on the matter. Clarke had told Stabroek News that he became aware of the accusations three weeks ago and informed Lawrence. However, it was only after an article appeared in yesterday’s Stabroek News that the coalition acted.
While APNU has withdrawn its support of him, Harding’s name will still appear on the ballot. Since he is contesting under the first-past-the-post component, if he wins, he can take up a seat in the city council.
Stabroek News had reported that campaign posters bearing Harding’s image have been rebranded with a tag, reading “Child Molester.”
He was contacted by Stabroek News for a response but he said he could not speak until directed to do so by the coalition. When reminded that the accusations were against him and not the coalition, he said “they are also damning to the party, so I will await their instructions. The party is presently handling the matter.”
Family issue
Lawrence had maintained that the accusations begin and end with Harding’s sister. “This is a family issue that has been going on and on and on and on for whatever reason, I can’t tell you, because if I had a brother, even if there was an accusation, this is not how I would go about helping him,” she told Stabroek News.
“Do you think that me, the minister in charge of that (social protection), would have someone like that running? Do you think that the party would expose itself like that? We are aware of the situation but he was never charged,” the Minister had declared.
However, an examination of the Stabroek News archive shows that Harding had been charged several times.
Sharon Harding, who is the sister of Winston Harding, had told Stabroek News that she spent many years trying to get justice for those who have accused her brother. She said recently, she was “cautioned” by Minister Lawrence after Winston Harding’s campaign material was rebranded to label him “child molester.”
“He kept telling people `is my sister, is my sister who put those things on the posters’ and then the minister came to my house. I tell her `minister you can’t support this man, he need to be in jail. I’m going to put him in jail’. Her words to me were, ‘I don’t want you to do that. He has worked hard for the party and he needs to be rewarded’”, Sharon Harding, who denies being behind the “child molester” posters, said.
In one of the more recent accusations, Sharon Harding said a report of child abuse was filed in 2012 at the Brickdam Police Station against her brother.
Since he has not been convicted, there is no legal barrier to Harding’s candidature. Article 40(2) of the Local Authorities (Elections) Act stipulates that a person is disqualified from running for council if he/she is: (e) on the qualifying date or at the time when s/he is elected a councillor, serving a sentence of imprisonment of not less than three months for any offence or has since the election been convicted of any offence and sentenced to any such term of imprisonment; (f) has been disqualified from holding office as a councillor pursuant to any law; (g) has within five years before election day or since the election been convicted of, or reported in the certificate of the court in connection with a corrupt or illegal practice.
None of these is true of Harding.
