Jagdeo: PPP will not act against Dharamlall before Police probe

May 17, 2024 News

General Secretary (GS) of the PPP, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Kaieteur News – General Secretary (GS) of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday stated that the party will not act against Nigel Dharamlall, an executive member of the party until the police investigation into the sexual assault allegations is completed.

“This is a sensitive matter, as you correctly pointed out and the least I speak about it, I think we can allow the course of justice to proceed in a fashion where people would not deem it as interference,” Jagdeo said in responding to a question at his weekly press conference. On Tuesday, Dharamlall was released on $500,000 station bail after he was questioned at the Cove and John Police Station. He denied the sexual assault allegations. Last year, Dharamlall stepped down from his ministerial position from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development amidst allegations of rape of a minor. He is now being accused of sexually assaulting 28-year-old Sarah Hakh, a former female employee of the ministry he headed in 2020 and 2021.

Jagdeo told reporters at his press conference that women are highly respected in the PPP party. He stated, “But I believe in a fair process, it’s got to be fair to the alleged victim and to Nigel Dharamlall too because often when you’re in politics, people try to run you down too, they run you down and I want the process that the police have embarked on to reach its conclusion and maybe at the end when the findings are known to the public then I will speak my mind on this matter.”

PPP Executive Member and former Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall

Recently, Dharamlall was re-elected to the 35-member Central Executive of the PPP. Dharamlall secured the sixth highest number of votes among those nominated for the 40-member Central Executive Body and five non-voting members.

As such, Jagdeo was asked what actions the party would take in light of the new allegations. In his response, the General Secretary clarified that there are only three positions in the party that have already been appointed: the general secretary, the executive secretary and the finance secretary.  He continued, “There’s nothing to step down from. So those are the three positions at this point in time, until the next central committee where we will appoint additional secretaries.”

Jagdeo reminded that it’s an allegation that is being investigated by the relevant authorities. He noted that a determination will be made on the basis of the investigation. “So as like in the first set of allegations, we did not jump the gun as a party of a government. We said let the laws be applied uniformly to everyone and in this case, it is being done…Nigel Dharamlall was elected by the membership, so that is a different matter,” the General Secretary said. He noted that the investigation has nothing to do with party business, until the investigation is completed, then a decision will be made on the way forward.

• Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, General Secretary (GS) of the PPP, Nigel Dharamlall, PPP Executive Member and former Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, probe