t is now three days since a most horrific and unacceptable incident, involving a senior government Minister, occurred and I find it necessary to submit this letter for your consideration.
On Monday, December 18, 2017, the wife of an employee of the Ministry of Agriculture was assaulted by the Minister, whose office is in Kingston. The woman was at the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct some business. On arriving at the Ministry of Agriculture, she was directed to an office. On entering the office, she was assaulted by the Minister. In putting up a fight and resisting his advances, there was a commotion. The commotion in the office caused other staff members to rush to the office. Had the staff members not rushed to the office, Editor, the woman would have been raped.
The terrified woman rushed out of the office. Another staff member recognised her as the wife of a Ministry of Agriculture staff member and advised her to leave. The Minister was abusive to the staff members also.
Editor, you would think that this was the end of the incident, but it is not. After rushing to her car and driving away, she was followed by the Minister. The result of his action was that he crashed into the womanβs vehicle on Shiv Chanderpaul drive. It is Godβs grace that the woman was not alone when all of this occurred.
This letter, I hope, will be used to prevent a reoccurrence of such incidents, which are completely unacceptable. It will also, hopefully, lead to an investigation and disciplining of the Minister. The Ministerβs use of an office at the Ministry of Agriculture is also an issue that must be questioned.
Editor, I am withholding the name of the woman and her husband for obvious reasons, but the Minister CANNOT deny his actions, since his actions were witnessed by staff members of the Ministry of Agriculture, and the accident was noticed by the persons. Investigations into this matter by the authorities will prove this.
This is a matter of abuse of power. It is a matter that demands the most vocal condemnation from our society. No woman should have to endure what this woman has had to go through and regardless of who is implicated as the person committing an assault should be held accountable for such actions.
Arnold Sanasie