Address Jagdeo’s ‘wife abuse’ before speaking on similar matters — AFC tells Govt.
The Alliance For Change (AFC) yesterday highlighted what it described as the hypocrisy that is being perpetuated by the government in its latest attempt to defend the disregard for diplomatic norms which was reflected in its message to the US Ambassador.
Since the now infamous speech delivered by the then acting Foreign Minister, Priya Manickchand, that essentially disrespected former United States (US) Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt in his own home; the Minister and the government have been subject to much criticism.
Manickchand’s message became a topic of widespread discussion on social media; the opposition spoke against it and letters criticizing the Minister are still being published in local newspapers.
Because of the way the Minister acted, the AFC had characterized her as “Sitira Gal.”
But Presidential advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira took offence to this.
On National television, the government official said that the opposition has a history of being “racial and sexist” towards women of East Indian decent. She alluded to AFC’s characterization of Manickchand as “Sitira Gal” as part of a “racist and sexist” pattern. “It’s really saying basically …that Indian women in this country must know their place. They mustn’t come out of their confines and suddenly be out there speaking.”
The senior public servant said the women’s movement has not been defending Indian women like Acting Town Clerk, Carol Sooba; the Finance Minister’s wife, Gitanjali Singh and then Supreme Court Registrar, Sita Ramlall.
Via a press statement released yesterday, the AFC said that it has noted the “lame” attempt by the Presidential Advisor on Governance to turn criticism of Manickchand’s “uncouth behaviour” at the residence of the US Ambassador by labeling such criticism, “racist and sexist”.
The party said that Teixeira’s attempt to do so is an insult to all women of all ethnicities.
The statement added that “coming from the PPP Government, it is just a spin and distraction from their exploitation of racism to procure back the support they are rapidly losing in all their strongholds.”
The AFC said that the ferocity with which the Minister has attempted to drag the dignity of Indian womanhood into ruckus over the defence of her “boorish behavior” discloses a depravity of mind too frequently displayed by the Government when purporting to speak on behalf of the Country.
The AFC stated that no woman; regardless of ethnicity, who aids and abets improprietiesý and illegalities must feel she is immune to criticism.
The opposition party, in a seemingly sincere attempt to guide the government officials along the right path, advised that “if Manickchand and Teixeira want to be taken seriously representing East Indian women or any woman, they should start by addressing the most dastardly abuse of our East Indian sister Varshnie Singh who was deceived into thinking she was married to Jagdeo (Former President.) While they are at it, they ought to publicly clarify their role in that cruel hoax and comment on the mental and emotional abuse Varshnie Singh suffered at the hands of the man who, in her mind, was her husband but who threw her out after he had abused and misused her to his satisfaction.
The Party said that it will refrain from further comment on this matter.
When information was made public about the extent to which the then Head of State, Bharrat Jagdeo had reportedly ill-treated his wife, Kaieteur News had sought comments on the issue from both Manickchand and Teixeira, both of whom refused to give any. At the time, Manickchand was the Minister of Human Services and Social Security, a portfolio that demanded her protection of all victims of abuse, particularly women.
Manickchand, on July 2, launched into an attack on US Ambassador, Dr. D. Brent Hardt. And for her efforts she was soundly booed by the invitees.
The occasion was the observance of America’s 238th anniversary of its independence. Just two days earlier, Ambassador Hardt, addressing a youth forum called Blue Caps, was critical of the Guyana Government for its failure to hold Local Government elections.
This so rankled the ruling People’s Progressive Party that it had earlier in the day issued a statement that chided Ambassador Hardt for meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign government. Minister Manickchand extended the criticism at the envoy’s home.
