Liberal democracy is the DNA of the AFC

Nov 04, 2010 Letters

---

Dear Editor,
I was highly displeased by the tone and content of a letter in Kaieteur News of 31/10/2010 which alleged that the Alliance for Change (AFC) is disrespecting the rights of Mr. Carrington to contest for any office in the party written by one Navindra Persaud. This brings out a few issues namely, who is Navindra Persaud? What is he trying to achieve by spreading this rumour? What is the basis of facts he has on this issue? Does his allegation reconcile with the Prakash Ramjattan I know and supports?
Who is Navindra Persaud? I know he is not my friend who is doing an MBA at UWI but a phantom. But whose phantom? He is not a PPP phantom since he has a history of cussing the PPP, but his special nemesis is the AFC. His special issue from the records is why the AFC did not joined up with the PNC in the big tent. A tent that has now all but collapsed.
Well it is a foregone conclusion that a majority of the delegates supported a Ramjattan presidential candidature in a fair one man, one vote ballot. That is the ideology I support; liberal democracy and this is the DNA of the AFC. The AFC does not believe in democratic centralism where a Moses Nagamootoo or Winston Murray cannot achieve leadership of a party, but the leader of that party is selected by a small cabal.
Most of us in the AFC firmly believe that Mr. Carrington has a right and is capable of running for any office in the party. The day Mr. Carrington loses than right, then that is the day most of us will seriously consider Moses Nagamootoo words, “ah done with that”. The AFC is the new political trend setter of upstanding and righteous political ethics in Guyana, so there is no need for a phantom to lecture them on political ethics.
The impertinence of this phantom must be reproved and I shall endeavour to do so with facts and history. When Ramjattan, Ms Holder and Trotman, along with the other members, founded the movement, it was nothing but a movement. In those infant days those founding members supported a rotation of leadership for very good reasons – as the best solution to address our ethnic security dilemma from a top down approach. If we can live it at the political apex, the working people can also live it.
This is what the issue means – in 2006, if the AFC won the elections, we would have had a President Trotman for half the term and a President Ramjattan for the second half of the term. Also the office of Chairman and Party Leader was rotated in those early days in accordance with this gentleman’s agreement. However, with the formation of the movement into a political party; constitution and all, the constitution became the sacrosanct document of the party and thus provides the guidelines on how the party operates.
The AFC constitution enshrines the rights of Mr. Carrington to run for any office he wishes, once it is within the rules, so why has phantom Navindra taken upon himself to distort the truth?
The AFC, its leadership and most importantly the supporters of Mr. Ramjattan has zero interest in dissuading Mr. Carrington from contesting any position in the party. The truth is we encourage it. Can you imagine a Corbin or a Jagdeo giving up power to a political colleague? This is what the AFC brings to Guyana, a diametric difference in political attitudes and principles unheard of in Guyana’s political history.
When I observe the AFC, it reminded me of the founding father of the American Revolution; how they strategize in the interest of the people, not for themselves – a party for the people, by the people, of the people.
Does phantom Navindra thoughts reconcile with the Ramjattan I knows. I am convinced if Ramjattan has to give up his position for the good of Guyana, he will. He knows his place as a servant of the people and that is what he is focused on; service to the people. The Ramjattan I know is not about self aggrandizement, and self enrichment at the expense of the taxpayers. He is about making the small man a wealthier man. He is about making the private sector the engine of growth. He is about advocating for the human rights of all mankind. He is about dealing frontally with our crime crisis. He is about facing our ethnic security dilemma head on. He is about reducing the gap between the rich and the poor, and most importantly he is about ensuring all Guyanese reclaiming their dignity and self respect as a people.
All political arguments I have found emanating from Mr. Ramjattan has always been grounded in the rule of law and on morally superior consideration. He is a true patriot, so why would Mr. Ramjattan, whom is a true believer in liberal democracy attempt to stifle the candidature of Mr. Carrington? He personally told me that Mr. Carrington is a valuable asset of the AFC. So, these ‘jagabats’, are up to nothing more than political mischief as they grind their political axe in their attempt to recover lost political grounds, most of which was ceded to the AFC.
Congrats to the AFC leadership and members for a successful Conference and the party has now spoken. It is time all its members bury our heads and get down to the challenging task of commencing our campaign to win power in 2011, fair and square.
Sasenarine Singh

---

---