Threats and vilification of our character will not intimidate us

Aug 15, 2010 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

By Sheila Holder
AFC Vice-Chair

The Alliance For Change (AFC) broke with tradition when it published the minority view of its National Executive Committee’s (NEC) decision not to form pre-elections alliances with either the PPP/C or the PNCR-1G. It went further when, on our weekly television programme – Alliance on the Move – it featured two opposing members’ viewpoints on the issue for the benefit of our members and the public at large.
The intention being to demonstrate the change we see as desirable by encouraging independent thought as distinct from the ‘group think’ so prevalent in other political parties. For this decision to publicise the minority view, we also took a great deal of flak from those supporters who were happy with the NEC decision. Who said it was going to be easy?
The NEC Decision pleased some and angered others
The democratic process at the party’s NEC meeting held late last month deliberated and delivered a result that pleased many in the society but clearly angered some when in fact the only objective of the entire membership of the NEC, was to deliver the desire of all opposition supporters for ‘regime change’. The AFC aims to realise this intention by being the next government or alternately, should we fall short of this, to position the AFC to be a significant player in bringing to fruition our core objective of forming a government of national unity. Thus, the decision of the majority on the party’s NEC is intended to employ a strategy which would bring about the realisation of these objectives.
Factions in the society, outside the AFC, who had hoped for a different decision, have angrily expressed their displeasure on the email circuit. Some have chosen to describe the principals of the AFC, Raphael Trotman, Khemraj Ramjattan and myself, as ‘rats’ informing us that their culture was to exterminate rats, others called us traitors to the ‘black’ cause. In these circumstances, the words of Dag Hammarskjold seem appropriate, “you cannot play with the animal in you and not become wholly animal, play with falsehood without forfeiting your right to truth, play with cruelty without losing your sensitivity of mind. He who wants to keep his garden tidy doesn’t reserve a plot for weeds”.
What the advocates of a ‘Grand Opposition Alliance’ fail to understand is that the AFC has not rested on its laurels over the past four years as some might think; but did the essential grass root work all around the country in order to position itself to be a force to be reckoned with at the next elections. As a result of this work, the PPP/C and their propagandists have been at hard at work, particularly in the Indigenous communities in the hinterland, trying to sow the seeds of confusion among our members while victimizing known AFC supporters and threatening others.
In fact, from the current critics of the AFC’s decision not to enter into alliances with either the PPP/C or the PNCR we received mostly uncomplimentary comments and criticisms, over the protracted period. Even as I pen this piece, former PPP/C Minister, Henry Jeffrey, appears not to comprehend that the AFC’s approach to alliances gives serious consideration to these insightful observations by Albert Einstein and Thomas Kuhn, – “The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” “For almost every significant breakthrough in the field of scientific endeavor is first a break with tradition, with the old ways of thinking, with old paradigms.” – A quotation from Thomas Kuhn’s landmark book “The structure of Scientific Revolutions”.
So crucial are these concepts to what we aim to achieve in the AFC, that I urge they be made the focal point as we begin the consultation process by the party’s Committee, which was appointed by the NEC to examine the options of forming alliances with like-minded entities and personalities.
I take this opportunity to publicly declare that the principals and members of the NEC of the AFC share a willingness to subordinate what we think we want now for what we say we want for the Guyanese people – peace, harmony, justice, equity, physical security and prosperity for all. At this juncture, we in the AFC believe our chosen path is the right path to achieving these objectives. To those who disagree with us we say – convince us via your argumentation because we will not be intimidated by threats and vilification of our character.

Latest News

Threats and vilification of our character will not intimidate us

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

‘One Guyana’ 3×3 Quest Basketball opens with local teams in...

GCA, East Coast surge to huge wins

GFF/Concacaf kick off two-day Match Commissioners...

Chase’s Academic outclass Bartica to move...

Three Miles Secondary make clean sweep of Jagan...

National Chess champions off to Trinidad and...

Features/Columnists

Anticipation without preparation

The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation

Access to information should not come to this

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Threats and vilification of our character will not intimidate us

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]