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The A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), in a statement, said the allegations of rape against the Minister of Local Government, Nigel Dharamlall, have moved to the level of the police, and with the minister being deemed a suspect he must resign or be removed from office.
According to the APNU+AFC, all female held press conference, the victim has issued an official statement and it is being used as a basis for a police investigation President Irfaan Ali must act immediately on the following for good governance and justice demand the following actions:
- Since multiple reports on the matter are readily available to the President. He must act immediately with the urgency this matter demands.
- The Minister must be removed from public office immediately. Minister Dharamlall is not a public servant, he was not appointed in accordance with the Public Service Commission. He is a political appointee and not a public servant. Consequently, the rules of the public service are not applicable to Mr. Dharamlall and therefore he cannot be sent on administrative leave pending the investigation and possible charges into the serious and odious allegations of rape and sodomy.
- By virtue of these allegations, the Minister is not fit for public office in any capacity and must immediately resign or be removed from government and Parliament.
- Most notably, the purported settlement agreement in the form of a quasi-non disclosure agreement (NDA) should be the subject of an investigation. Specifically, all involved should be investigated for the possible obstruction of justice.
- Importantly, the Office of Professional Responsibility should immediately commence an investigation into the actions of the Regional Commander, Mr. Khemraj Shivbaran.
The Opposition said it has been brought to the attention there are several procedural breaches into this investigation, among which include: –
- Sideling acting Head of Child Care and Protection Agency (CPA), Tionna October, a consummate professional with over ten (10) years of experience working under the stewardship of Ann Green, the former Head of the Child Care and Protection Agency.
- Assigning Levine Gouveia who has less than two (2) years of experience to handle this sensitive matter, which is unacceptable.
- Several disturbing reports have suggested the victim has been denied her constitutional right to legal representation.
- Reports that on a visit to the alleged crime scene the accused was present – this flies in the face of the rule of law and the protection of the victim. It is unacceptable and must be condemned.
All of these issues must be dealt with immediately, to ensure justice and the adherence to the Rule of Law, the Opposition made known.
Further, the APNU+AFC is demanding the investigation be fair and impartial, in every sense, and be free from any political influence, interference, directive and undertaken in keeping with the law.
The Opposition said they will continue to advocate strongly for the rights of women and children and be an unrelenting advocate for the protection of our indigenous sisters. “We owe it to our Indigenous sisters to promote and protect their rights.”
Calling for justice to prevail, APNU+AFC said this case will be the litmus test whether the elites in our society are above the law. “We must all remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure that no one is above the law and justice is the victor in this process of dealing with the alleged heinous crime that was committed by a sitting Minister and Member of Parliament.”
