A PARTNERSHIP for National Unity (APNU) has withdrawn support for Winston Harding, one of the candidates contesting Constituency 13 (East and West Ruimveldt) in Friday’s Local Government Elections. The coalition was under pressure to drop Harding, who had been accused and charged in the past on allegations of sexual molestation. “APNU is firmly against all forms of abuse, especially the abuse of women, children and the elderly. The Partnership takes seriously all allegations of abuse that are made against its members and supporters. In our 2015 Manifesto, we clearly state and affirme that the Domestic Violence Act and the Sexual Offences Act must at all times be enforced without compromise or exception,” the coalition said in a statement. It added that recent media reports have shed light on allegations and charges that were filed against Harding, a candidate contesting a Constituency seat in the Georgetown municipality. “The accusations of child molestation as reported in the media are a matter of grave concern.” In light of the alleged behaviour of Mr. Winston Harding and the pattern of accusations over the years, his candidature cannot be supported at this time. APNU is cognisant of the fact that Mr Harding has not been convicted of any offence, but the gravity and nature of the accusations cannot be ignored or condoned,” the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, Help and Shelter had also called on the APNU+AFC coalition to immediately remove Harding as their candidate in view of the fact that he has been repeatedly charged with child sexual abuse. “Even though Mr Harding has not been convicted, the fact that he was charged twice must give everyone genuinely committed to eliminating child sexual abuse deep cause for concern, particularly as the matter was brought to the attention of the leadership of APNU+AFC and the Minister of Social Protection and yet his name remains on the list,” the organisation said in a letter to this newspaper. “For the past 20 years, Help & Shelter has actively advocated for the prevention, protection and prosecution of all forms of child abuse, including child sexual abuse. We are on record as having called for ministers in the previous government to be charged and prosecuted for sexual assault and verbal abuse of a sexual nature against women; and we are deeply disappointed and shocked at the failure by Guyana’s present government to stand up for the rights of Guyana’s children to live lives free from all forms of violence and to avoid association with, and promotion of persons who have been tainted by repeated allegations of child sexual abuse.”
According to Help and Shelter, “What we know of paedophiles is that for the most part they are serial sexual predators and leave in their wake many psychologically and physically damaged children. We ask the ruling coalition to reflect on the message that it is sending to citizens when it puts an alleged sexual abuser of children on the ballot for Local Government Elections and, when this matter is brought to its attention, it chooses party politics over justice and the rights of children. This is not the type of social protection we want,” Help and Shelter stated. “We further call for the immediate convening of the sexual offences task force and for the establishment of genuine partnerships with NGOs who have established track records of working for the prevention, protection and prosecution of child abuse and in, child sexual abuse.”