AFTER more than a year since uttering a simple, three-letter word to topple the former A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration, Charrandass Persaud, who fled to North America, has returned to Guyana with the intention of resettling.

In what was dubbed a historic move, Persaud, a former Parliamentarian on APNU+AFC’s side of the House, voted in favour of a No-Confidence motion against his government which was tabled by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018.

Fearful for his life, Persaud immediately fled Guyana and was living in Canada until last week, when he returned to Guyana.
Persaud’s Attorney, Sanjeev Datadin, told the Guyana Chronicle that his client never left Guyana with the intention of staying away for more than two months. His stay in North America, according to Datadin, was protracted because of a slew of legal challenges which followed the passage of the No-Confidence Motion and a subsequent five-month electoral impasse, which concluded only on August 2, 2020, with the PPP/C being elected to office.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had declared that the PPP/C won the March 2, General and Regional Elections after amassing 233,336 votes. The then political opposition with that victory, unseated the coalition, which received 217,920 votes.

“We figured he would only be away for two months but we did not envisage the delay in the elections…so he never really shut down his business in Guyana. Persons were operating on his behalf,” said Datadin.

Persaud, a lawyer by profession, operated a private practice in New Amsterdam, Berbice; he is originally from Adelphi in East-Berbice, Corentyne.
Datadin refrained from disclosing his client’s location because of the numerous threats against his life.

“He (Persaud) is still fearful for his life,” said the Attorney, noting, however, that his client is here indefinitely.
Minutes after voting “yes” to unseat the David Granger administration, Persaud, on the corridors of the Public Buildings, had told reporters that he was grossly disappointed in the AFC, the party to which he belonged.

“We are sitting in Parliament like ‘yes-men’ to APNU, and we are AFC,” he had said. “And we have not blended with APNU. The other parties have; we have not. The government is APNU+AFC; we have not blended. So why are we doing everything they want to do, like passing Prime Minister Hamilton Green’s Pension Bill?” Persaud had told reporters.\

Persaud had said that his vote was a ‘conscience’ one.

“I am not a PPP member; I am not affiliated to the PPP,” he had said, adding: “This is not because of the PPP; this is because my conscience is now clear. My life may go but you know what, I will die a happy person with a clear God damn conscience.”

Meanwhile, the Police Force, in 2019, had launched an investigation following allegations of bribery and movement of gold by Persaud. It is unclear whether this investigation is still active