Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bisssessar has set a new standard in politics by accepting the resignation of Chandresh Sharma, says Congress of the People (COP) leader Prakash Ramadhar.One day after Ramadhar called for Sharma to resign or be fired, the Prime Minister issued a statement shortly before 3 pm yesterday stating that Sharma had tendered his resignation and she had advised the President to revoke his appointment.
Sharma's resignation came in the wake of a police investigation into an allegation by his ex-girlfriend Sasha Singh that he assaulted her.In a telephone interview, Ramadhar said: "The Prime Minister, by accepting the resignation, has strengthened the democracy and once again is setting a new standard in the politics of T&T. I congratulate her for that because in the past we would have seen many high public officials do wrong things without any consequence.
"The Peoples Partnership Government of which the COP is a co-founder is happy to participate in new standards of conduct in public life, in that if it was not known before it is certainly known now that where there are serious allegations against anyone in public life they should do the honourable thing and resign as Mr Sharma has done or they must be removed as the Prime Minister has shown no hesitation in the interest of the public to do so."
Asked if he found it worrisome that within a week two ministers have had their appointments revoked because of serious allegations against women Ramadhar said, "I always find it troubling for anyone to conduct themselves inappropriately, more so with women. But, we know many occasions in the past when it was brushed aside and not given the prominence with respect of women that we now see the Prime Minister taking action on it."
He added: "It is a message to all that we must treat each other, especially men to women, with respect that you cannot abuse any position of authority to women in particular.Ramadhar said his call for Sharma's removal was not a pronouncement on the facts of the matter, it was on the basis that the allegation was quite serious.