Even as his government continues to be accused of protecting misogynistic men, President Irfaan Ali last evening launched his Men on Mission (MOM) – a 1000-Man initiative boasting that the programme will be the foundation to end violence against women and children.
“We [men] are the root cause of much of problems in society. It is now our time to be the root of the solution. To be the root of positivity, to be the root that makes a difference. To be a root that builds a support system. Men on Mission will be the foundation to remove violence against women and children. This is not the responsibility of women, it is a responsibility for us to work with each other.
“We must make the change. We must drive the change. We must lead the movement of response. We must lead the movement of dignity. We must lead the movement of pride,” Ali declared.
Ali’s declaration comes at a time when his government is being heavily criticised for the manner in which it is handling the surfacing of a video of its High Commissioner to India, Charrandass Persaud verbally assaulting a female Delhi University English Professor.
Persaud was caught on video hurling sexual and other vulgar obscenities at Professor Sonya Ghosh in August of last year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs failed to investigate and discipline Persaud and only released a statement when the video surfaced a few days ago.
In what appeared to be a mutual agreement, Ali announced that Persaud will return home from his posting after a “transition.” However, this is not the first time a member of Ali’s government has displayed misogynistic behaviour towards women and children.
While on the floor in Parliament in February this year, Ali’s Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamall directed a comment relating to ‘dildo’ towards female Opposition MPs. He was not reprimanded by either Ali or Speaker Manzoor Nadir.
In 2020, one of Ali’s current MPs Alister Charlie was charged with alleged sexual misconduct involving a child. Another one of Ali’s MPs, Bheri Ramsaran had also publicly threatened activist Sherlina Nageer a few years ago.
Nevertheless, the Presi-dent during his address at the Guyana Defence Force’s Sports Ground at Base Camp Ayanganna, said that the circumstances that currently surround men are more complex and challenging now. He said that the launch of the MOM initiative is critical to addressing those challenges telling the men in attendance that “We as men have dropped the ball and today is about us picking up that ball.”
He noted that the journey of bettering the lives of men cannot happen without first honouring the women.
“We say to them today that we understand that we have let you down. That we understand that we have not shouldered our responsibility as we should and yes there are men that would have shouldered their responsibility tremendously…the [Men on] Mission is about shouldering that responsibility, it is about demonstrating a collective will to act, it is about demonstrating a collective understanding of the problem and it is about demonstrating a collective idea or creating a new system an institution that supports a modern society that is built on the foundation that will see no longer in the headlines ‘violence against women and children’”, Ali said.
Ali announced the 1000-Man initiative while in Leguan earlier this month and said that it aims at eradicating violence and other social ills in communities across Guyana. He formed a broad-based committee spearheaded by Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Godfrey Bess with Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken as second in command.
A press statement informed that the project is meant to uplift particularly young men and boys who may face many societal ills, such as drug abuse, domestic violence, gang violence and other violent crimes. The programme aims to achieve its objectives through mentorship, counselling and the creation of economic empowerment for the participants.
The President said that the time is now for the men to step up to the plate and enact the changes that will create a better society. He noted that his government will be dedicating itself to creating an environment where Guyanese can thrive and men can address the generational trauma.
He called on the young men and boys to take advantage of every opportunity to further develop themselves nothing that within the last five years just 16,294 males enrolled at the University of Guyana as opposed to a much larger number of females.
However, he did not speak to the access to financing for university tuition although his government promised free tertiary education.
Additionally, Ali said that there are 7,280 males in the public service compared to 19,770 females while calling on more males to take up traditional public service jobs. Just as how he failed to address access to financing for university tuition, Ali also did not address the wages for public servants in his call. His government has been refusing to engage the Guyana Public Service Union on wages and salaries negotiations for public servants. He has, thus far, imposed an across-the-board 7% increase for public servants.
The President did say that they will also be targeting more males to join the nursing profession.
Meanwhile, both Chief of Staff Bess and Commissioner Hicken lauded the initiative saying that it is time and much needed. Bess noted that men have been slipping in society and it is time for them to get back on track.
The launching was replete with addresses from various leaders in the religious, professional and entertainment communities.
Thus far, some 3000 persons have signed up using the online portal according to the organizers. Men can either sign up to become mentors or mentees.
