Minister of Education Priya Manickchand engaged in a public spat with her former colleague, Nigel Dharamlall, on Facebook yesterday after he accused of her “wanting credit” for the construction of a new bridge being used by the school of Jawalla in Region Seven.
While Dharamlall, who resigned as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development after he was faced with rape allegations and was not charged after the teenaged complainant opted not to continue with the case, did not name Manickchand in his Facebook post and referred to her as a “certain ‘Minister’” he reposted her post about the bridge which left no doubt.
Earlier Manickchand had said “When we were there the children crossed on a raft. Today they have a bridge. Understand the effort and progress. What love looks like!” and photographs of the raft and the bridge were posted.
Dharamlall, who may have been irked by the response of Manickchand under another post where she said “Yes” when asked by a Facebooker whether the circular by the Ministry of Education about persons having to obtain permission before entering schools referred to him [Dharamlall], made a long post about the bridge being the commitment of candidate Irfaan Ali and “not on the minister who is now seeking credit and didn’t know where Jawalla was up to last year.”
“Let me make it pellucid: this bridge came about after a visit by [then]candidate President Irfaan Ali, Pauline Sukhai, and myself, when we went to the village in August 2019 at the Upper Mazaruni District Games on the behest of the General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic as part of our campaign,” the former minister further added.
“So whilst some people operate on Facebook likes, others are actually doing the real work,” he ended his post which included reference to other works completed by the government and for which he not only praised President Ali but also Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
“‘We’ means to most, who are capable of comprehending and not running around blaming everyone else for their own actions, the govt. The PPP govt. but you feel free to post also. If people are still paying attn to you it would help,” Manickchand responded under the post.
And to a question by a Facebooker as to whether Dharamlall will be returning as a minister she said, “I don’t appoint nor dis-appoint ministers. So I wouldn’t know.”
“Priya Manickchand, people are paying attention that’s why the news everyday point to the education sector in disarray whilst you lay blame at everyone else except your failures. People must know that President Irfaan Ali is the driving force behind upliftment of the education sector and not you,” Dharamlall said in response to her comment.
Not to be outdone, Manickchand quickly responded with: “Nigel Dharamlall just get. One interested in the President’s well-being would behave very differently. The Manteca and repairs of Regional schools AND DORMS come under the direct purview of Local Govt. A ministry you ran. As you very well know.”
He answered: “Priya Manickchand and there were never such complaints.”
