Buoyed by the support of members of his constituency and the ruling coalition, alleged child molester Winston Harding was yesterday sworn in as a councillor of Georgetown, a post he has no intention of resigning.
Responding to questions from Stabroek News after the first meeting of the new council yesterday, Harding indicated that he will not be resigning and has not been asked to do so by the ruling APNU+AFC coalition which he represents.
He also enjoys the unequivocal support of several residents of Constituency Thirteen (East and West Ruimveldt), which he represents.
Yesterday Harding was cocooned in the support of his constituents, who told this newspaper that they are certain the accusations against him have no merit.
As he descended City Hall’s stairs after the council meeting, a large crowd of his supporters loudly proclaimed their support. “Yes Harding, yes boy. They can’t stop you boy,” one woman exclaimed, while another proclaimed, “Don’t worry, we gonna pull out the thread. When we done with the Red Thread, it gon turn brown. They can’t move you. You deh fo represent we is we put you deh.”
Local NGO Red Thread has been protesting Harding’s candidature in light of the accusations. They have also been calling for the resignation of Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence in light of her comments that the accusations against Harding were a “family matter.”
Two days before the March 18th Local Government Elections (LGE), Stabroek News had reported that Harding, who was contesting for the council seat in Constituency Thirteen, had been repeatedly charged, though never convicted, with child molestation.
At the time, Harding’s election posters had been vandalized, with the words “child molester” pasted over. Lawrence, who was in charge of the coalition’s Georgetown campaign, had said that Harding’s sister, Sharon Harding, was responsible for the accusations, which were an ongoing “family matter.”
Once Stabroek News reported the matter the coalition issued a statement in which it withdrew support for Harding.
“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 the statement.
It was, however, too late to withdraw Harding from the contest and he went on to win his seat in a landslide victory.
Having won his seat, Harding cannot legally be removed from the council unless he is convicted of a crime or chooses to resign. President David Granger, when questioned about the matter, had told reporters that Harding’s possible recall will have to be discussed at the party level and Harding himself had told this newspaper that he will abide by whatever decision is made by the coalition.
