Dear Editor,
The Facebook page called “Live in Guyana” on the top left hand corner says, “Here we expose and denounce the racist, corrupt & incompetent APNU+AFC”. Pandit Deodat Persaud made a statement about the increase in old age pension on this page on January 15. Among all the critical comments about this issue made on social media and elsewhere, Pt. Deodat’s rank at the very bottom of the ladder for its lack of venom, bite and bias or mischief potential. In fact, it possessed none of those characteristics but was a mere innocuous observation. Yet the responses to Pt. Deodat’s comment were full of venom, bias, bite and mischief, the very epitome of hate speech, character assassination, slander, defamation, and viciousness. In fact, this collection of persons supposedly aiming to “expose and denounce the racist, corrupt & incompetent APNU+AFC” seemed to have wandered a universe away from this supposed aim and, instead, exhibited the kind of pack mentality that is decidedly non-human. There can be no doubt that no member of this pack knows anything about Pandit Deodat Persaud and never took time to find out. Instead, they all mindlessly pounced in a display of abject ignorance, epitomizing voracious senselessness.
So, who is Pandit Deodat Persaud? An intellectual of the highest calibre: in addition to two Masters – Business Adminis-tration and Public Administration respectively – Pt. David is two courses away from completing his LLB and is currently studying for a PhD in Management. As well he has Certificates in Community Leadership and in Monitoring and Evaluation from George Mason University in the US; training in Restorative Practices, in Social Cohesion and in Advanced Counselling in Peer Education, HIV/AIDS. An activist and advocate par excellence, he launched the Golden Om Dharmic Youth Organization and nurtured it into Guyana’s most dynamic group of youth volunteers. Also, he is the Founder and President of the Guyana Center for Civic Engagement. The first Guyanese to participate in the U.S. Department of State Community Solutions Program, Pt. Deodat was one of the 120 participants selected from among more than 8,400 applicants from 97 countries. He also participated in the Know India Cultural and Educational Program in 2016; the 19th World Youth and Student Festival in Russia in 2017; and the US Humanitarian Outreach on Suicide Prevention.
A Hindu priest who walks his talk, he refuses to officiate at any wedding where alcohol is indulged in. Anti-alcoholism, aside, his activism and advocacy span the range- suicide and abuse prevention, environment, conservation, animal safety, elderly care, community advancement, child protection, socio-economic welfare, ethics, values and so much more. Above all, he’s a patriot to his very core, one who’s traversed the length and breadth of Guyana seeking to impact betterment. Pandit Deodat is a guide, mentor, counsellor, leader, moral exemplar, who inspires, educates, lifts up, empowers and builds. In fact, his worth has been nationally recognized to the extent that he served a stint as the youngest person ever on the Ethnic Relations Commission and is now serving a stint on the Suicide Prevention Commission. The list of his achievements and accolades, is much longer than what is mentioned here, so if someone of Pt. Deodat’s calibre is allowed to be demonized, cyber bullied and derogated in the most awful manner possible without consequences for the perpetrators, then what message does that send to such perpetrators? That it’s ok to continue with their bile?
In 2020, President Ali had said that legislation would be tabled to address social media hate speech and bullying. Is such legislation in place? If so, why is not implemented? If not, when will this legislation come on stream? As well, the Cyber Bullying Act’s list of crimes includes ‘using a computer to coerce, harass, intimidate, humiliate etc.,’ but should it not instead state ‘using any electronic device’ to cover mobile phones, tablets, and the like as well as include the internet? And then there’s the police who claim that they can only act if a person or persons are named, after Pandit Deodat lodged a complaint. But this is not the procedure in criminal investigations by the police, so why is it only necessary in this specific instance? After all, it’s easy enough to get names from the FB page especially since the offending posts are available on a screen shot of that page, taken by Pandit Deodat. And FB will generally provide additional info, especially as it relates to crimes of the nature committed in in this regards. So will Pandit Deodat Persaud, this gentle Guyanese, steeped in seva and nation building, ever get justice?
Sincerely,
Annan Boodram
