Dear Editor,
This letter is not about politics, it is about exposing the lack of virtues of those who hold public office and still have the audacity to criticise others. While most public figures avoid putting themselves in embarrassing situations, a few are known to thrive on reckless behaviour that contributes to their own self-destruction and fall from grace. Such is the case with the APNU+AFC Region Five RDC Councillor, Abel Seetaram.

While I have been using adjectives like “despicable” and “bad-boy” to describe Abel Seetaram’s general demeanour in my letters, I am doubtful that the AFC Leader, the Hon. Raphael Trotman, knows the character of the person who represents the Alliance For Change (AFC) in Region Five. I am equally convinced that Minister Trotman will not condone such behaviour. Seetaram’s latest scandal is so gross that had he not been arrested, charged, and placed on $15,000 bail, there are some in the APNU+AFC leadership who would have denounced my condemnation of his behaviour as purely political and may choose to ignore it.

On Saturday, June 3, 2017, the APNU+AFC Region Five RDC Councillor was taken to the Fort Wellington Police Station on charges made against him the night before by his neighbour, Mrs. Meenawati Jainauth for threatening behaviour and indecent exposure. In a letter that was published on May 30, I wrote that Seetaram was put in charge of the Enhancement Workers at the RDC, who slash public space and roadsides. I also reported that some of those enhancement workers were seen slashing the yard of his private residence at Number 11 Village/Woodley Park, using government resources for private use.

The night of June 2, Seetaram allegedly got home drunk and launched a verbal assault on his neighbour, accusing her of snitching on him. After reading my letter, Seetaram was apparently convinced that his neighbour was the one from whom I had gotten my information and got into a tirade with her. This is unfortunate for I had never met this lady nor knew who she was until a few days after this incident was brought to my attention by a reliable source. But during an interview, she recounted how terrified she was that night by Seetaram’s vulgar and threatening behaviour. She accused him of indecent exposure.

The neighbour said she made a report at the Fort Wellington Police Station shortly after midnight, and Seetaram was brought in to the station the following day for questioning. When the case was first called on June 14th at the Fort Wellington Magistrates Court, Seetaram was a no-show. The magistrate threatened to have a warrant made out for his arrest, and scheduled the next court date for Wednesday, 28th of June. It is not clear whether he was arrested or he just “smell the rat,” but he showed up for his court hearing to answer charges on two counts of assault and threatening language.

He was placed on $15,000 bail and has to return to court on July 12. Seetaram was not charged with the more serious offence of indecent exposure or endangering the welfare of a minor. I wonder who is watching over him.
In his letters to the editor, Abel Seetaram portrays himself as a hard-working, dedicated APNU+AFC RDC Councillor, whose sole objective is to faithfully serve the people of Region Five. But in reality he exploits his position for selfish gains.

Regards
HARRY GILL
PPP/C Member of Parliament