Chairman of the Congress of the People (COP) Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan has assured that the party will take action against San Fernando mayor Dr Navi Muradali if he acted inappropriately. Seepersad-Bachan said so in an interview with reporters at the San Fernando TML Primary School 60th anniversary and awards ceremony at Imani Hall, San Fernando.
The San Fernando West MP and Public Administration Minister said her party was awaiting the report from its fact-finding committee set up to investigate an incident involving Muradali and his girlfriend in the car park of Gulf City Mall on December 21, before making any further comments on the issue.
Muradali admitted a "public disagreement" took place but claimed the incident was exaggerated. He and his girlfriend used Facebook to vent their feelings about the incident. However, there has been calls in the media and by bloggers for action to be taken against Muradali.
Seepersad-Bachan said people should deal with facts more than hearsay. "It's a problem that we are having," she added. Alluding to her earlier speech, Seepersad-Bachan said she made the point that students must be careful how they use technology.
"I am seeing so many bloggers, people who are afraid to put their names. These bloggers are going about character assassination, and so on, and it is really, really unfair to people who have given, who have made contributions, who are in public life.
She said technology must be used to ensure "we keep our checks and balance, but "not when it comes to that sort of personal attacks and character assassinations of good people's reputation and I hope that is not what we are teaching our young people because what we do today is what we will set as an example for tomorrow."
Calling on bloggers and anonymous letter to the editor authors to have the courage to reveal their identity, she said: "Don't hide behind some anonymous name and then use it to attack people and attack people's character. I have a real serious problem with that.
"Having said that if the facts prove that Dr Navi Muradali did in fact behave in some way unbecoming as a member of our party in public life the party will deal with that." Muradali was listed on the programme to deliver remarks but he did not show up.