Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand and Minister of Human Service and Social Security Vindhya Persaud condemned the killing of Orlando Jaikarran.
Citing an account she attributed to the Chronicle, Manickchand described allegations that a man took the child from his bed and threw him overboard despite knowing he could not swim. She highlighted the account that the child had hugged the man during the journey.
“What useful purpose could a man have to the rest of us if he could awaken a child out of his bed and even after being hugged by that baby on the journey, take him and throw him overboard knowing the baby cannot swim,” she asked.
According to Manickchand’s statement, the Chronicle reported that a person described as a “pajari” had told the man that the child was not his.
Manickchand also questioned the responsibility of the person alleged to have made that claim.
“Is the pajari an accomplice? Or just stupid? Should he/she be banned from any kind of practice of whatever it is they are practising?” she asked.
Recalling her earlier academic position, Manickchand said: “My Law in Society paper was titled ‘Capital Punishment: an anachronism.’ I got an A.”
“If I had to write one now it would be ‘Capital Punishment: an anachronism?’”
Persaud has condemned the killing of a child and called for the child’s father to face the full force of the law, while criticising anyone who uses the guise of religion to sow suspicion and cause harm within families.
“Killing a child is monstrous!” Persaud said.
“I believe that the father of this child should face the full force of the law!”
Persaud condemned any pujari who makes statements that cause destruction in households under the guise of religion.
“I unequivocally condemn any pujari (as is alleged in the newspaper) who causes destruction in homes by uttering statements under the guise of ‘religion’,” she said. “It is unconscionable to create mischief in anyone’s mind, home and family. “I will also say people should desist from going to persons who offer themselves as predicting anything and telling people to hurt others for their own benefit. That’s not divine nor goodness and must not be tolerated.”
