History tells us that politicians who invoke gender based violence will never be held accountable

The nastiness of Guyana’s politics continues. The invoking of rape, gender based violence in the politics as part of the democracy norms is part of the new oil economy. The AFC MP Sherod Duncan must be held accountable for his endorsement of violence against a woman who is on the same path in politics as he is. History though tells us that the MPs and politicians who invoke gender based violence will never be held accountable. A long history - the “high tech domestic violence”, the phone recordings which alleged child sexual abuse, and which were brushed aside, other phone recordings with contempt for women, zero accountability. There might be condemnation from colleagues and comrades, but very little consequences. The men continue, secure in their knowledge that nothing will happen.

Minister Gail Texeira in rightfully condemning Sherod Duncan’s attack on her comrade, does not lament that she still sits in the same house, same side with that of her comrade Bheri Ramsarran who did not hold back, not once, but twice in proudly asserting that his women would slap and strip a woman who was trying to hold him accountable for his duties then. The then Minister of Health resigned a few days before his government lost the elections only to be proudly reinstated in the Parliament and the Ministry of Health. Zero accountability. And so,..as the oil continues to flow, the Honourable men and the Honourable women who are governing will invoke violence, issue condemnations and so on, but without accountability, without consequences, nothing will change.

Sincerely,

Vidyaratha Kissoon