The Guyana Bar Association, the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers and the Justice Institute of Guyana are calling upon President Donald Ramotar to fire Dr Bheri Ramsaran as a minister and a member of the PPP/C.
“Dr Ramsaran’s threats to “strip” and “slap” a young woman would be disgusting conduct by any man. They are particularly reprehensible coming from a Member of Parliament and a Minister of Government,” the groups said in a joint statement. “A decent Minister would have resigned by now. A decent President would have sacked him immediately.”
The groups noted that “Dr Ramsaran’s behaviour was abusive, insulting, threatening and obscene. It is unacceptable for Dr Ramsaran to seek to excuse his behaviour by saying that he was “provoked.” Further, the statement said, “Section 141 of the Summary Jurisdiction Act prohibits threatening, abusive, insulting or obscene language, gestures or behaviour. This crime carries a sentence of up to six months in jail.”
The groups have also noted President Ramotar’s failure to sack Dr Ramsaran saying it “sends a clear message to the nation that this government believes it is above the law. That is a very dangerous message which undermines the rule of law.”
“Dr Ramsaran’s intolerable conduct was a response to being asked about his record as minister. It is the right of every citizen to call a minister to account for his actions. Sovereignty belongs to the people. We exercise it through our representatives. Their accountability to us is the foundation of democracy. That is why our Constitution requires political parties, “to respect the principles of national sovereignty and of democracy. Lack of accountability to the citizen is not democracy but the tyranny of the executive,” the statement said.
“It does not matter how awkward, ill-timed or inconvenient the questions. Public office carries with it the duty to respect every citizen,” the statement said. “Our Constitution, as well as the international conventions which we have proudly signed, guarantee our political and civil rights. But our freedom begins to wither when a citizen is threatened and abused by a Minister and when a President does nothing.
This time it was a young woman. Who is next?” the groups asked.
According to the statement, “Dr Ramsaran’s behaviour has been reported across the globe. He has become a national, as well as an international, embarrassment. If President Ramotar will not sack Bheri Ramsaran for the sake of the voters of Guyana, he must do so for the sake of Guyana’s international standing,” the statement said.
