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In a passionate facebook live speech this morning, Hon. MP Amanza Walton Desire challenged President Irfaan Ally to demand that Minister Nigel Dharamlall, who is the subject of damning sexual assault allegations against a child, step down while an impartial investigation into the matter is conducted.
Walton-Desir stated that, “…instead of standing up for the children of Guyana, and instead of requiring that he (Dharamlall) steps down to facilitate an investigation, President Ally comes to the media and says that he will act when the evidence is presented. He will act when the evidence is presented, failing to understand and recognize that he has a duty to create the circumstances that will make sure that a victim in this situation is comfortable enough to come to speak to these issues.” MP Amanza Walton went on to say that President Ally has to create the enabling environment for victims to be protected. Instead, what you see him doing is doubling down and protecting Nigel Dharamlall.
The MP stated that, in any functioning democracy. Nigel Dharamlall would have at a minimum, been interdicted from duty, pending a full and complete investigation because everyone understands that as long as he continues to sit in the office of the minister, there is a risk that he would abuse his position, abuse his powers and exert pressure on that young lady.
Walton-Desir went on to say that, “if Nigel Dharamlall is so innocent, let him stand up and defend himself against the allegations. But you don’t see that happening. I’m saying these are allegations, but these are allegations that must be investigated.”
The MP stated that she lays the blame for this squarely on the shoulders of President Irfaan Ally, who on the 20th of November 2020 when he was giving his address on World’s Children’s Day stated that the safety and protection of our children must be our first priority. “What happened to that Irfaan? what happened to those words? you have an opportunity now to demonstrate that you have the moral courage and conviction to stand in the protection of our women and children and you are failing,” stated MP Walton-Desir.
MP Amanza Walton Desir raised the issue of the deaths of 20 children at the Mahdia Secondary School dorms and pointed out that the nation still does not have a commission of inquiry to determine the truth of the matter. “I’m sorry to be shouting but as a mother, as a woman , as a member of parliament who has to sit in the National Assembly and be subjected to the most vile and most crude insults from Nigel Dharamlall, this makes my blood boil,” stated the MP.
MP Amanza Walton-Desir went on to state that, “we all should understand and acknowledge the courage that it would have taken for the child to write that letter. The child’s letter represents the most horrific and gruesome recollection of events and you (President Ally) do not have the decency to say tonight (Dharamlall) you must step down to facilitate an investigation. But you want us to come to believe that you are for the protection of Guyana’s women and children. We are not going to allow this matter to be swept under the carpet”
