Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Amanza Walton-Desir has accused the PPP/C Government of misleading Guyanese into thinking that Charrandas Persaud was stripped of his Ambassadorial duties.
Guyana Standard previously reported that Charrandas was recalled in October 2022, from his post in India, after a disturbing video of him hurling lewd remarks to a woman, caught the attention of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali.
However, a recent invitation from the Indian Economic Trade Organization regarding a conference for Latin American Ambassadors listed Charrandas as a speaker in the capacity he was supposedly no longer serving. The invitation made the rounds on social media on Wednesday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an attempt to censor public perception, said in a statement hours later that Charrandas is no longer representing the country as High Commissioner to India. The ministry said he was merely in the process of winding down his administrative responsibilities.
MP Walton-Desir has since accused the President and his minister of pulling the proverbial wool over the eyes of citizens. In a Facebook post, the parliamentarian wrote that previous statements by President Ali on Charrandas’ recall led the nation to believe he had taken decisive action to safeguard Guyana’s reputation internationally.
“Information in the public space suggests, however, that Charrandas is still comfortably carrying on as Guyana’s High Commissioner to India, in full contempt of national outrage about his behaviour, and against the wishes of the majority of Guyanese,” the politician said.
At the last sitting of the National Assembly, she recalled that the Parliamentary Opposition was barred from asking questions for oral reply on the Government’s knowledge of the Charrandas incident by Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir.
In light of the recent social media finding, the parliamentarian said she dispatched several questions for written responses from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Walton-Desir wants the minister to advise whether Persaud has ceased to function as Guyana’s High Commissioner to India, and if so, as of what date. She also asked the minister to advise whether government has notified the Indian administration that Persaud no longer serves as the country’s High Commissioner, and if so, on what date such notification was issued.
Walton-Desir said the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs must know that they will not be allowed to mislead Guyanese. “The people of Guyana deserve answers…” she concluded.
