The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) is not comfortable with the ruling party’s response to the allegations of sexual misconduct against one of its senior members and feels that national standards of professional conduct must be elevated.
In a release yesterday, the GHRA described the attitude of the ruling PPP to the new rape allegation against Nigel Dharamlall as complacent, where one might have expected a “troubled” reaction. This, it opined, shows the extent to which power has eroded principle in that political arena, especially when one notes the response of the PPP General Secretary, and Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, “Dharamlall has nothing to step down from…the matter is an allegation.”
According to the release, Jagdeo also stated that the Dharamlall case will be handled by the party in the same way as the first rape allegations against him by a young Amerindian girl last year, by “allowing the law to take its course,” while adding, “We did not jump the gun.”
Given the aforementioned sentiments, the GHRA concluded that since this “casual approach worked well for the ruling party last time around, the upper echelon no doubt looks forward to getting themselves off the hook as smoothly once again.”
The release noted however, that the legal course taken in respect of the first allegation was not well received thereby prompting widespread public criticism of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Police Force and the ruling party. It reminded that over the years, Guyanese have witnessed a variety of wrong-doing by leaders and their associates who enjoy political immunity. It too noted that efforts to correct this situation have been “piecemeal and disjointed.” And as far as the GHRA is concerned, the Sexual Offences Act, for example, though imbued with a commitment to protect women and young people, is not seriously embraced by politicians.
“The first Dharamlall incident prompted a storm of social media comments, followed later by similar outpouring over crude exhibitions of misogyny from male members of the ruling party against female Parliamentarians. Unfortunately, periodic outbursts such as these are insufficient to address the protection enjoyed by wrong-doers.”
Given this state of the affairs, the GHRA sees it necessary to engage in a more effective mobilising of indignation. Civic bodies including business, religious, trade, sports, NGOs and other organizations, it posited, would all benefit from paying more attention to fit and proper leadership.
The GHRA suggested that a good place to start is by instituting “fit and proper rules” in their own sectors thereby raising national standards and a culture of integrity and accountability. This, it asserted, is particularly the case also with respect to those politicians and persons on national commissions responsible for public funds as such tests prevent corrupt or untrustworthy persons from attaining positions of authority over other people.
