In an open letter to Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali, yesterday, March 30, the Alliance For Change’s (AFC) women arm, Women For Change (WFC), requested the removal of the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Ali had since said that persons with such allegations need to approach the police to lodge their complaints. In another statement released by the WFC today responding to the President, the women stated they intend to take their complaint to international agencies now instead.
The release stated, “Women For Change (WFC) has taken note of President Irfaan Ali’s reluctance to instruct an impartial investigation into the conduct of Nigel Dharamlall as it relates to allegations of inappropriate conduct and sexual predatory behaviour. We find this most disappointing.”
It further said, “Given the reluctance of the President, WFC will now write the Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to apprise them of the situation. WFC will also raise Dharamlall’s call for two of Guyana’s senior and highly respected women judges to be ‘de-frocked’. WFC also intends to bring the allegations against Dharamlall to the attention of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.”
WFC is of the belief the allegations against Dharamlall “warrant a thorough investigation by his superior officer, in this case, the President as these allegations have brought the Ali Administration into disrepute, something we thought the President would have addressed with alacrity.” The organization said it intends to reach out to Zainab Hussain and her daughter, who made the damning allegations.
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