Dear Editor,

I WISH to condemn forthrightly the vile, sinister, and nasty attacks being levelled against the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand.
These attacks are abhorrent, reprehensible, and puerile. The intellectual authors of these attacks are colleagues who currently sit in the opposition benches of the National Assembly.

With the government’s decision to reopen schools in a phased approach, the hijacked Guyana Teachers Union has willingly spearheaded the campaign involving some of the nation’s misled teachers.

This behaviour is driven by the Opposition MPs and politicians who have a strange sensation of the mind whenever their supporters talk about Manickchand negatively. They know that the things their supporters are claiming are not true but allow the defamation to continue.

It has gone further with rouge opposition personalities personally attacking the minister, making comments about her body, clothes, and family. And yet this woman shows commitment, compassion, and intelligence as the minister who takes a hands-on approach to the job. She is very passionate when it comes to education, focusing on the revolutionisation of the sector.

Where is the public condemnation of these vile attacks? Where are the women’s rights groups and activists? Where are the Red Thread representatives?

I hope when this whole frenzy over the vaccination policy of the government has died, we truly think of our actions during this period. At last, wherever we find we were wrong or lacking, seek to correct it. We should not be attacking the minister in this way. If teachers want to attack and ridicule a policy of the government, there is a way to do it. They are ways to be effective while protesting without the mention of personal attacks.

Remember, you don’t throw stones when you get a class house. I call on every single politician to stand up for good decency, morals, and women’s rights. Behave decently! Our children are watching you and the nation is looking on.

Yours truly,
Attiya Baksh