Persaud was officially suspended by the University Council after an investigative committee found that allegations made by students against the lecturer were valid. He appealed and the committee was established to hear the case, but there were initial setbacks.
A source close to the University Council had reported that a few persons who were approached to sit on it declined while others said they were busy. The process dragged on for a while and eventually a panel was constituted. However, the source alleged the committee was partial. “It has been watered down to a group of persons who are known associates of Evan Persaud,” the source observed, adding that the findings of the committee ought to be watched closely.
In letters to Registrar at the University Vincent Alexander, students alleged last year that Persaud had victimised and intimidated them, particularly students sponsored by a mining company. One student related that on the first day in class, Persaud told them, “Leave y’all God at the [expletive] door,” saying that he was god in the classroom. Further, the student charged that most of the time spent in class was “sex talking time.”
The student also reported that a 2008 examination supervised by Persaud was held at a city hotel and students who opposed this were victimised.
The student said too that after a decision was made by UG for Persaud’s examinations to be invigilated, he told students that he would give them information about the examination. He said too that Persaud spoke openly about using his political links to victimise the sponsored students.
Two other students claimed that they were prevented from writing an examination on the claim that they had not passed their course work. They maintained, however, that they had submitted their work to Persaud but it was never returned. They said he had done the same in two previous courses he had taught.
