‘WE ARE HARD PRESSED’

Nov 01, 2009 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

By Raphael Trotman
AFC Leader

On October 29, 2009 of this year the Alliance For Change celebrated its fourth Anniversary as a political party. To us, it is a tremendous milestone to arrive at, yet we accept that we are just four years old and growing. There is much to learn and in reflecting on the past four years, we can say that they have not been easy but they have been very rewarding.
With each passing year the significance of our accomplishments and experiences become better understood and easier to manage. Words borrowed from Paul at a time when a small group of people were getting together to form a movement that has made an impact on the world best sum up the AFC’s journey over the past four years: “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down but not destroyed.”
We have every reason to rejoice and to be grateful for all that we have encountered, faced, and received from the people of Guyana. Nowhere has the pressure and persecution been evident than in the Region 10 seat debacle. Yet, we have not been forsaken by the people of Linden and other parts of Region 10 who cry out for justice and to have their elected representative to sit in the National Assembly.
Recently, after a slumber of three years the PPP woke up to clarify its “occupation” of the Region 10 seat, and even went as far as to suggest that I, a lawyer, and Member of Parliament, should be reprimanded or punished for calling for justice.
It is important that the accepted facts are set out:
1. On the night of August 28, 2006 the AFC observed an anomaly with respect to the results coming out of Region 10 and in particular in Kwakwani.
2. Contact was made by our officials with GECOM officials and we were advised to await the final count, and official declaration.
3. A series of letters were exchanged between the AFC and GECOM on this issue.
4. An Elections Petition No. 464-P was filed on the 17th November, 2006 (within the statutory period for doing so) after it was realised that the anomaly would not be rectified.
5. The Petition relies on the Certified copies of the Statements of Poll and not some “defaced” document as claimed by the PPP/C.
6. The Certified Statements of Poll show that the AFC won the seat.
7. At a meeting held on January 12, 2007 with the Chairman of GECOM and Mr. Calvin Benn (who was acting as Chief Election Officer) an explanation was provided as to how the seat was wrongly declared in favour of the PPP/C.
8. The matter has not been determined since.
9. The Electoral Assistance Bureau and other Observers have accepted, and noted the error made.
It is disturbing that after filing every conceivable application in Court to have the Petition thrown out, the PPP/C has finally decided to break its silence on this issue with a response that is riddled with half-truths. We are prepared to exhibit the Statements of Poll that were certified by the Chief Elections Officer and which we are using to establish and prove beyond a shadow of all doubt that the people of Region 10 chose the AFC, and not the PPP/C, to represent them in the National Assembly. These are not fabrications.
As to the PPP being appalled that I, a lawyer by profession, made statements about “seat squatting” while “the matter is in Court” my response is that I am neither impressed nor intimidated, and am prepared to be jailed if necessary in pursuit of the truth and justice. Incidentally, is this the same PPP/C that condemned the ruling on a voir dire of an East Coast Magistrate before the matter was concluded?
We will continue to fight for justice and fairness. We are persecuted but not forsaken; cast down but not destroyed. It has been four years of hard fighting and persecution, but we are confident that we will not be forsaken and that our reward will be great.