Education Minister Slams Guyanese Critic’s Abusive Rant, Warns of Legal Repercussions
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
Minister of Education Priya Manickchand is firing back at social media commentator Michael Rodrigues, popularly known as The Guyanese Critic, over what she describes as a vulgar, abusive, and ignorant verbal attack made against her during his online show.
Speaking on the sidelines of an education event on Tuesday, the Minister said Rodrigues’ tirade — which she characterized as lacking in fact and substance — could constitute a cybercrime offense.
“What the critic fellow said was ignorant — it was vulgar, it was abusive, it was profane, and it was uncalled for,” Minister Manickchand said. “If I were to pick myself up and walk over to the Cyber Crime Unit and make a complaint, he would most likely be charged under the Cyber Crime legislation.”
The Guyanese Critic’s remarks came after Minister Manickchand expressed public disapproval over the imprisonment of singer Baby Skellow for a song deemed blasphemous. Although the Minister said she did not support the artist’s content, she believed the law used to prosecute him was outdated and should be repealed — a stance that prompted Critic’s offensive response.
Despite the attack, Manickchand reaffirmed her belief in constitutional freedoms, stating:
“As much as I think he’s an idiot, not credible, and not a journalist, I would still fight for him to have pre-trial liberties — because that is what our Constitution guarantees.”
However, she also used the opportunity to denounce bullying behavior, particularly toward women and girls, noting that figures like Critic should be “isolated, not tolerated.”
“He’s a bully, and there are many bullies like him in households across this country. To the girls and women who face that — I say: defend yourself and deal with them.”
Manickchand emphasized that freedom of speech does not give anyone the right to abuse others and cautioned that public personalities must be held accountable for harmful conduct.
