AFC’s brand of politics is no good for women, democracy nor Guyanese

Aug 31, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The Alliance For Change (AFC) is demonstrating that it is patterned in like image of the PPP, which is known for its lies and propaganda.
As the PPP acts inimical to efforts at National unity so also are the actions of the AFC in tandem with those of the PPP and proving inimical to the interest of opposition unity against the PPP dictatorial government.
From all we can see the AFC and the PPP/C share the same target for 2011 and that target is the PNCR and disruption of any efforts to form a national unity movement against the PPP/C.
As a case in point, reference is made to Emile Mervin’s continuous media attack on the PNCR and its leader in his effort to support and shift focus away from the meanness, lack of PPP focus and inconsistent positions taken by the AFC.
Emile Mervin is a spokesperson for the AFC and defends this party and its leaders, projecting them as above the political fray and the party of the future when this nation is aware that the AFC birthed out of the WPA, PNC and PPP has so far demonstrated no different politics than what this nation is accustomed to.
Their lack of decency and integrity is also established in their formation cloaked in betrayal as they squatted on the seats of their respective parties, drew taxpayers’ money and pursued their selfish egotistical ends as the pure and righteous political saviors of our Guyanese masses.
The AFC presents itself as multiracial and uses this mythological claim that they are above racial politics, and therefore, better positioned than the PNCR and the PPP/C to serve the multiracial Guyanese community; a claim that can easily be debunked from looking at its support base which is mainly African. The truth of the matter is, the AFC gets its main supporting membership from the PNCR, mainly targets the PNCR membership and is therefore just another African-based party like the PNCR. Its members manifest the same qualities of the PNCR membership. Kemraj Ramjattan and a few others do not make the party any more multiracial than the PPP/C or the PNCR. It is time for the AFC to stop the con.
Emile Mervin and other AFC supporters would like readers and voters to ignore the inherent anti democratic policy of the AFC. These inherent built-in discriminatory policies limit its leadership to only two persons in the party, eliminating any other member who may have the ambition and regardless of their credentials for leadership.
Even with this breach of modern principles and early violations of members Emile and the leaders of the AFC dare to make comparison with the more democratic PNCR which is open to leadership challenges and having the will of the people expressed. Why even the PPP/C allows for leadership challenges.
It is no wonder Peter Ramsaroop referred to the party, and its leadership as undemocratic. Is this the new party, and the new breed of politics that the AFC advocates for Guyanese?
Voters must note also the female marginalisation within the AFC, for even though the formation of the AFC was between Kemraj, Raphael and Sheila Holder the latter is not even considered for rotation in leadership of the party.
That she abides with this is a backward step for women and an insult to our many women who hold leadership positions in society. Even with its undemocratic means of leadership selection is a woman not fit to be a rotating leader of the AFC?
Is this the new breed of politicians that our people must emulate and cheer on? Is this the position Raphael Trotman and Kemraj Ramjattan are relegating women in our society to?
One must ask why Sheila Holder who held a leading position in the WPA and was once its Vice-presidential candidate stoop so low and allow herself to be dominated and relegated to being a mere third fiddle.
If Ms Holder is just a rubber stamp then the AFC is disrespectful to women in politics and all women who must tell them loud and clear that the AFC brand of politics is no good for women, democracy or Guyana.
Sheila Holder’s new positioning of women in our society must be rejected by all. Not in a country that has seen women at the forefront of our politics and in every sphere of leadership from pre-colonial struggles to now.
Sheila Holder is eroding the advancements of women such as Jane Phillips Gay, Winefried Gaskin, Shirley Field Ridley, Viola Burnham, Janet Jagan et al.
Guyana’s politics before the AFC has never been so discriminatory of women and this is a new dimension that voters need to look at.
The AFC brand of politics is no good for women, democracy or Guyanese who want to see an end to the dictatorial rule of the PPP/C.
If we could have removed the PNC then surely this nation and a combined opposition can remove the PPP/C and thwart the AFC’s effort to destabilize the united opposition whose task it is to provide an alternative government.
Name and Address Withheld

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