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]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Bheri-and-Nageer.png)
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.
“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.
is it just me or shud naseer be ‘actually’ slapped dis time…. at the end of the road this is all politics… she aint satisfied dat bheri bheri get sacked which is wat she called for since the incident… she want more… cant please ppl in dis life boy!
look nuh naat u must nat talk bout morality nan ethics when yuh ah represent pnc..dem world dah nah deh in ah pnc vocabulary or u wood seh vocablerry..nah guh fram naat to zero yeah lol
Public pressure only had results because elections were near. Luncheon’s statement is a clear evidence that the PPP has no respect for women. This is also evident in; Bharrat’s treatment of Varshnie, Anil being a wanna be pimp, Irfaan subjugation of potential victims, Bheri’s “erectiongate”, etc.
Since it is public pressure that caused Ramoutar to fire Bheri, it can be concluded that the hierarchy of the PPP did not think that Bheri’s actions warrants dismissal.
In any civilized society, Bheri’s would have been fired (if he had not resigned immediately). That’s why Kamla Bissessar will win the next elections in Trinidad and Tobago and the PPP will be booted from office on May 11, 2015.
I say give them an inch and they take a mile. See now they want all the ministers fired over every little thing. What more can anyone do to please these people. Hire the man back because she was out of line too. Let them both pay the price for their stupidity.
Roger is one of Hero’s of Guyana, can’t say so for any the PNC member you got to take a
look how the PNC came into bean. I say Guyana is for ALL Guyanese Don’t put your
country Man down one who have served Guyanese Well sick or healthy he is up and
about that’s a HERO in my book my fellow Guyanese
The president has made the decision and so be it…No further speculation from the opposition bloggers…
same thing i though when i read the report and what he said. the ppp / government is so morally and ethically bankrupt that the president refused to do the right thing until local and international pressures forced him into performing an act which would be the correct on whether it was carried out on day one or day nine.
roger luncheon’s legacy is that of a man of very little self worth who willingly lent his unkempt appearance that epitomize the ppp/government incompetence and misrule.
how shameless that local and international pressure had to force a president to make a decision that would have been the correct on whether it too one day or nine days to be made.
the ppp is morally and ethically bankrupt and the guyanese people must show the likes of bharat jagdeo, anil nandlall, clement rohee, donald ramotar roger luncheon and the rest the door come polling day.
Do I detect a hint of disgust from Luncheon that public pressure resulted in the sacking of his Witch-Doctor friend? They should be ashamed that “pressure” had to play a role in having this piece of scum removed! Are these comics for real?!?!?!
This is interesting that Dr. Luncheon does not know what is going on. His response indicate that the President is making these decisions on his own.