A COMMITMENT from President Donald Ramotar to address the widely criticised actions of Health Minister, Bheri Ramsaran has not prevented the leadership of the ruling party from levelling sanctions against its offending member.“We have sanctioned the comrade,” said General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C), Clement Rohee, when asked at his weekly news conference, which was held yesterday at Freedom House, Robb Street.
Asked to detail what the sanctions involved, he said, “He was spoken to very seriously.”
Recent comments made during and after a confrontation with local social activist, Sherlina Nageer, landed Ramsaran in hot water. The Health Minister on Monday reportedly talked about having Nageer “slapped” and “stripped” when approached by her on the issues of maternal and child deaths. Subsequently, he apologised for his comments, attributing his outburst to the fact that he was provoked to anger.
“It was unfortunate that I was provoked into anger and uttered harsh words at her for which I now regret,” the minister said in his apology.
However, a recording of a meeting he held with Regional Health Officers (RHOs) Wednesday, was made public and Dr. Ramsaran was heard repeating some of what he said on Monday, as well as charging that Nageer is “rabid,” a “miscreant” and in need of “psychiatric help.”
The gravity of the debacle considered has fuelled mounting pressure on the Administration to have Ramsaran dismissed.
There have been calls from several sections of society for the Health Minister’s resignation, the most recent coming from the Private Sector Commission (PSC).
“We believe that his behaviour warrants the sanction of the President and we are looking for the President to take the right actions necessary,” PSC Chairman Ramesh Persaud said when questioned about the incident on Friday, April 24.
The PSC’s consultant, Kit Nascimento, on the same occasion, disclosed that “right actions” could include Ramsaran’s resignation.
In addition to the leadership of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Ramsaran’s colleagues, as well as members of civil society and the diplomatic corps have condemned his behaviour.