The ridiculous notion of a People’s Partnership

Sep 10, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
I always knew the AFC would revert to the shortcomings learnt by its founders who grew up and were groomed in the PNC and PPP. But not this fast. I gave them a decade for the inevitable rot of political self-aggrandizement learned from the two most destructive systems ever in Guyana’s history to take root.
But it seems like power and its naked lure has already swayed them. For the engagement of any thought of a partnership with the PNC is an admission that the AFC has lost its ability to transcend the decrepitude of the nation’s politics to present a bold infusion of ideas and a new wave of change. For the AFC to consider in just four years, a partnership with a broken political party smacks of desperation. It is as if the AFC does not know this nation. That race still rules the vote. That the PNC still remains a pariah to not only the nation’s biggest voting bloc in Indian-Guyanese but to the nation’s fastest growing ethnic voting bloc in Amerindian-Guyanese and to many disgruntled African-Guyanese. That to contemplate an alliance of this nature is self-defeatist and more critically will be seen as unwillingness to sacrifice for power.
The AFC seems to have no clue about its status in the political cage of things. It will take many of the PNC votes in the next elections. So why merge with a party from which you will already be taking a large chunk of its votes in the next elections? To even entertain these talks have sounded a death knell for the AFC. Its perception was always PNC-lite to many Indian-Guyanese and Amerindian-Guyanese and the recent media speculation of an alliance is akin to self-strangulation.
The AFC played this one wrong. If it had a proper reading of its standing it would have known that a major chunk of the PNC vote will shift to it in the next election. Thus, its focus should have been on capturing that 10% or possibly more of the Indian-Guyanese vote that is seriously considering not voting or giving its vote to a credible opposition party (definitely not the PNC). Its focus should have been on replacing the PPP in capturing the majority of the Amerindian vote which should provide it with another 6% or 7% of the total vote. That combined with the PNC supporters crossing the floor should have put it in the official opposition territory but most critically it would have likely ensured that while the PPP wins the next election it does not win a majority. This forces the PPP and the AFC to work together to better put the people’s imprint on running the nation. The AFC’s recent shenanigans regarding the internal power struggle between Ramjattan and Trotman and the talk of it holding hands with the PNC has to be a dagger just commencing its insertion into its back as it relates to those opportunities missed.
The problem with the AFC is it is cut from the same frayed cloth of the organisational guts of the PNC and the PPP. Its two leaders lack charisma and seem hell bent on outdoing each other for power. It has shown no credible increase in its standing for popular support since the last election despite widespread anger and frustration within the constituencies of the government and the two main
political behemoths.
Why would any political party claiming to usher in change hang onto the coat tails of a failed political movement that wrecked the nation for 28 years? The AFC has not articulated or engineered a proper grassroots structure. Instead of fooling the public with hot air about winning elections, the AFC should be explaining how better government works and how policies should function and how it would engineer change. For the AFC cannot win the next election and knows it. It is the weakest political third force this nation has ever produced to date largely because its leaders were disgruntled former bigwigs in the other two terrible political forces.
If it comes in third again at the next election in 2011, Ramjattan and Trotman should step aside and let the party find new leaders. This notion of a people’s partnership which is really two opposition parties joining forces is a sham and a stark indicator of poor decision-making. If this talk of partnership persists even those true ethnic moderates in Guyana who support the AFC may very well stay home and watch soap operas rather than vote.
Michael Maxwell

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The ridiculous notion of a People’s Partnership

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