Who ever said it would be easy?

May 23, 2010 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

By Raphael Trotman AFC Leader

The practice of politics in Guyana is not easy. Daily, political parties and politicians face unfathomable odds and adversities moreso for an opposition party than for government. As a new political movement which was forced to transition quickly into a political party, we have had our baptism of fire and will continue to be burnished in the furnace of opposition that we face each day.
In the beginning there was the issue of Gaumattie Singh, which in my effort to do the right thing saw me bungling the issue. Since then we have gone on to fight off the accusations of “pepper sauce” financing, duty-free scams, spousal abuse, and ‘third force destroyers” to name a few.
Now we are inundated with the pressures brought on by the allegation made by a young Guyanese female against Peter Ramsaroop. We hold no brief for Mr. Ramsaroop as we believe that every citizen should be subject to the laws of the land and so he will have to reconcile his actions with his maker and our justice system.
Justice is supposed to be blind, but here it is a different thing as some are persecuted and prosecuted whilst others literally get away with murder. We expect that others who have been accused of similar and worse offences will be thoroughly investigated and taken through the mills as he is today.
On each occasion, as in this case, we have weathered the storm and gone on to greater heights. I have no doubt in my mind that this matter will not hang over the AFC as some hope it will. Each incident serves as a crucible of fire that further shapes and refines the leadership and supporters of the AFC. There is much worse to be hurled at us in the months ahead and I say confidentially, but not boastfully, that we will be standing on the appointed day with the people of Guyana.
Two weeks ago, we held our inaugural Youth Convention, which was so successful for us from a political standpoint, that we found the two main speakers being pressured. First it was a phone call to Dr. Tarron Khemraj’s academic Dean applying pressure to prevent him from coming to Guyana and then Jamaica’s Senator Basil Waite’s presence in Guyana was questioned and worst of all, a very senior government official suggested to his superiors in Jamaica that in his now very public presentation he “threatened” the Government. This latter matter is still under investigation by the authorities in Jamaica and more information will be forthcoming. In the meantime we will remain focused and patiently and faithfully complete the race that has been set for us.
Last year I wrote a piece entitled “We are hard pressed” and just now as I ponder the recent happenings, I believe that some of its words are very relevant today as they were then; showing as well, that we continue to be harassed and attacked, but yet we are persevere.
“On October 29, 2009 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.”
While the PPP and its acolytes are busy getting after us, the people still await their response to the mountain of ills that is growing daily. And like the Mandela Avenue garbage dump, is smelling. These include:
-Collapsing wharves
-Road construction confusion with Synergy Holdings Inc.
-Building an unnecessary canal at Hope, East Coast Demerara
-Human rights abuses to explain internationally
-Squandermania and theft of scarce resources by corrupt officials
Abraham Lincoln’s statement is so applicable today: “You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” We thank the PPP/C and the government for the many tests that they put us through because with each we are being trained and prepared to manage the affairs of state whilst simultaneously they are being exposed as a power hungry and desperate lot that would stoop to the lowest depths to get their way.