– Norton on record asking Seeram to step down in 2023
From all indications, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has no qualms accepting all and sundry into the fray, especially in the leadup to General and Regional Elections. Over the last week, Daniel Seeram and Richard Van West-Charles pledged their support for PPP-governance, endorsing the incumbent President, Dr Irfaan Ali for his second term. Both politicians were prominent rank and file members of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR).
Seeram is a sitting Regional Chairman appointed by the PNCR. Two years back, that party’s leader, Aubrey Norton called for Seeram to do the “decent thing” and resign. Norton was the one who nominated Seeram for the role as Chairman but said PNCR has a zero-tolerance policy for domestic violence.
In 2023, Norton was quoted in the Kaieteur News saying, “The Opposition does not condone violence of any kind, worse so domestic violence…as it relates to the resignation, I think Daniel Seeram understands the nature of what has happened. It is true that it is not the first time and I will leave it to him to do the decent thing.” That being said, Norton acknowledged that his hands were tied in removing Seeram.
He said, “When somebody becomes a Regional Chairman or a Councillor, there is no mechanism that exists to remove that person.” Norton stressed that were it up to him, Seeram would have been long gone.
Jagdeo has a different perspective. He believes that having representation from a wife beater does not speak to his party’s values. At his most recent presser, Jagdeo said, “We don’t endorse violence against anyone, we fight against it strongly.”
He cited his party’s track record, noting that robust legislation has been set up and implemented to fight against violence against women and children. He said that the PPP government has also quadrupled funding to many non-governmental organizations that handle such cases.
Notwithstanding such, Jagdeo said, “people are still free to have a political view. It (his alleged wife beating) didn’t matter when he was PNC.”
Even before Seeram faced the court to answer for domestic violence charges, he was charged for allegedly threatening his father-in-law with a gun. He was released on $20,000 bail.
Reports indicate that in early March 2022, Seeram went to MovieTowne to speak to his wife when he instead met his father-in-law and the two got engaged in an altercation, causing Seeram to allegedly brandish his weapon to threaten the man.
