“Many” candidates proposed for new High Commissioner to India – Ali

Days after Guyana’s High Commissioner to India, Charrandas Persaud was recalled following video evidence of him in an obscene outburst against a woman at his official residence, President Dr Irfaan Ali has positioned that the integrity of Guyana is paramount. At the same time, he informed that many proposals have been sent for the replacement.
Speaking with the media on Friday, the Guyanese Head of State was questioned on the current issue regarding now former High Commissioner to India, Charrandas Persaud – who also served as Guyana’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.
The President had previously addressed the issue in a video statement earlier this week, and announced that Persaud would be recalled for his conduct.
With the position now vacant, President Ali said many requests have been submitted for the post.
“I could tell you I’m having a lot of interest being sent to me,” Ali told reporters.
Reports are that the incident occurred a year ago. In the video making its rounds on social media, Persaud, while standing at the gate of his residence in India, is heard speaking in a profane manner to a woman.
It was reported Persaud himself had informed the Ministry of External Affairs in India of the incident, and was fully investigated by the relevant authorities. Additionally, it was noted that a formal response to the High Commission, dated September 3, 2022, indicates that “allegations of sexual abusive words to complainant has [sic] not been substantiated”.

To this end, the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Georgetown said in a missive on Tuesday that considered this matter “closed”.
When asked whether he was misled by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ali responded in the negative.
“Absolutely no one misled me. I made the statement. I have done what was the right thing to do. At the end of the day, the integrity of Guyana and the best representation of Guyana is what matters to me, in a respectful manner to all – women, children, all. That is what matters so no one misled me in any way,” the Head of State positioned.
He added that there has been full disclosure from Government’s end regarding the matter. Ali also reiterated that he took action immediately after the video was shown to him.
“As soon as this video came, which was visual evidence, you saw the action we took. In my conversation with Mr Charrandas, he said that is not the full extent of the video. I also made that full disclosure. I don’t have anything to hide… The first time I saw the video was when I said I saw the video. That’s the first time a video surfaced of anything.”
Meanwhile, Persaud has since agreed to accept “full responsibility” for his actions, and will return home. President Ali had indicated earlier this week that during their conservation, Persaud explained that the incident took place since August 2021, and that the video being circulated is not a full reflection of what took place.
“He informed me that the video was not complete in demonstrating exactly what took place. Notwithstanding this, I explained to Mr Charrandas that representatives of our country must, in all occasion and on every occasion, conduct themselves in the highest order and regard,” the Head of State had related.
It was also communicated to him by the now former diplomat that this matter was already dealt with by the relevant authorities in India, and he was vindicated of any wrongdoing.
Persaud is a former Alliance For Change member and a former parliamentarian under the previous coalition Administration. He rose to prominence following his “yes vote” on a PPP/C-sponsored No-Confidence Motion against the APNU/AFC Government on the night of December 21, 2018.
He had departed Guyana immediately for Canada on the night the coalition Government was toppled, out of fear for his life, after he had received death threats. Persaud returned to Guyana following the swearing-in of President Ali, and was subsequently accredited as High Commissioner to India in March 2021. He was accredited as Guyana’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka last December. (G12)