FOLLOWING allegations of rape and sexual misconduct against a government minister, General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has assured that “no form of abuse or violence” will be tolerated by the administration his party leads.

He reiterated that his party has “no tolerance for any abuse of women or children in our midst…” and further reminded of the Sexual Offences Act amended during his tenure as president 13 years ago (2010), referring to it as “one of the most advanced pieces of legislation at that time, in the region or the world” and an indication that “we take a strong view on that matter.”

However, he also insisted that the matter must not be tried in the courts of social media or public opinion, or be politically weaponised, because, after all, this is an allegation being investigated, in which the accused surrendered to the law voluntarily and with legal representation, was presented with the allegations, arrested and granted bail.

The accused denied the allegations and intends to co-operate fully with the investigation. The case is being investigated by the Guyana Police Force and the Child Care and Protection Agency.
This is how this matter has played out – and this is how it should be: For the accused to be treated as innocent, until proven guilty.
The allegations have naturally drawn public outrage, but the PPP Leader has urged allowance for thorough investigations and for the law to be allowed to prevail.

The government and ruling party should be congratulated for moving so swiftly to address the issue internally, and allow for public disclosure of the charges and the legal and judicial processes being engaged.
Here again, the way the law operates under the PPP/C is vastly different to the realities registered historically under the APNU or PNC-led administrations, when serious allegations tended to remain just that (allegations) and investigations were seen to be swept under the carpet, with justice not seen to be done.

In fact, some of the failed political hopefuls seeking to politicise the current affairs involving a Cabinet Minister will have thought people would have forgotten the travesties of justice recorded historically under their watch — from naked politicisation of the justice system to allegations of existence of ‘death squads’, ‘torture chambers’ and unofficial ‘burial sites’ with ‘unmarked graves’ for ‘disappeared’ persons.

Senior party and government officials accused of improprieties either ended-up without being seen to have been investigated, or with legal slaps-on-the-wrist through ‘caution’ and small fines.
And then there’s the most outrageous spit-in-the-face of the law by the APNU-led coalition that defied the electorate’s decision in 2020 and tried, for five months, to steal the results, defying local law and judicial jurisprudence until it became impossible to deny the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which continues to serve Guyana and CARICOM with distinction.

But then, the PNC was born of legal deceit, joining with the United Force (UF) in 1964 to change the results of an election the PPP won, by engaging in a post-election alliance that allowed the losers to be legally declared winners.
Not so the PPP, which has remained true to its original call in 1950 as Guyana’s first political party dedicated to end colonialism, build genuine independence and plant and nurture a new and decent political culture uniting people across all barriers.

The rabble-rousing political miscreants seeking to weaponise this case must therefore realise that the radically-different approaches to Law and Justice under different Guyana ruling parties and administrations, is already established in the court of Guyanese public opinion.
That said, Case Closed!