Public pressure forced Ramotar to axe Bheri – Dr Luncheon
By Tracey Khan – Drakes
![Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran and Sherlina Nageer during the exchange in front the Whim's Magistrate's Court. [Mark Jacobs' Photo]](http://www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Bheri-and-Nageer.png)
Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran and Sherlina Nageer during the exchange in front the Whim’s Magistrate’s Court. [Mark Jacobs’ Photo]
A media release from the Office of the President on Wednesday, April 29 had expressed the President’s outrage at the verbal outbursts and insults uttered by Dr Ramsaran towards women’s rights activist, Sherlina Nageer.
At his post cabinet media briefing at the Office of the President, Dr Luncheon acted surprised after he was informed that the Health Minister was relieved of his post.
“That is indeed a response that I suspect many have been awaiting…the question that you have asked whether he is still a member of cabinet, well that is what I will have to find out, if he has been relieved of his ministerial post, I want to believe that those subsequent development has also taken place.”
He believes that the President Ramotar caved to pressure from both the local and international community, who issued numerous calls for Ramsaran to resign.
Cabinet Secretary: Dr. Roger Luncheon
“The pressures I am pretty certain you are aware that have been brought to bear on Minister Ramsaran about his utterances, and I suppose as we would say that the pressures have prevailed, that is all I would be able to say now until I become more aware with the decision and as well as the basis for the decision,” Dr Luncheon told reporters.
Since the revelation of two recordings with Dr Ramsaran verbally assaulting and degrading Nageer went viral, calls from all sections of society were mounted for his dismissal.
Meanwhile, the women’s rights activist continued her protest in front of the Ministry of Health today with members of several civil society groups. She told reporters during an interview that she is happy the government has finally taken that step in firing Dr Ramsaran.
“It’s a historic moment; Mr. Ramsaran now has the dubious honor of being the first and only for a public official or minister of the PPP who has been sent home and that’s worth noting. We would like to think that the voices of civil society have been heard and that there is greater understating to accountability and sexual violence,” Nageer said.
However, she is still not convinced that this is an honest move by the government.
“We’re less than two weeks away from elections and Mr. Ramsaran is just one of many bad apples within this government who have been guilty of sexual violence, and so were not appeased, we take his firing with a large grain of salt,” Nageer further noted.
She added that they will now take the picketing to the office of the Attorney General on Thursday since “they are not fooled and the issue is far from over.”
“The PPP is desperate for votes and they might feel as if they have lost some ground and I think they are hoping to make up for that,” the women’s rights activist opined.
