A vigilant coalition should better tailor its campaign to guard against the disruptive PPP

May 08, 2015 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The coalition seems on track with its campaign, with solid work on the ground and all attempts by the governing party to incite avoided. This election is there for the taking, but coalition supporters and leaders alike need to remain steadfast and focused. So I wish to caution, the stronger APNU-AFC develops, the more desperate the PPP becomes.
Having a great manifesto is not sufficient. From my first days of voting in 1980 onwards, many solid manifestos were prepared, but just one materialized into an electoral win. Getting into the trenches and shoulder to the wheel approaches are the winning combinations. It is like selling a product, one cannot sit in one place and rake in profits. While the coalition has done better over the last weeks, they need not only to work hard but to work smarter.
If daily press conferences are too much to challenge the diatribe of the PPP’s press conferences, perhaps thrice weekly sessions are needed to provide your supporters with reasoned arguments. APNU-AFC coalition newspaper adverts could do with some added creativity.
Founding members of the AFC, Rafael Trotman and particularly Khemraj Ramjattan have not featured prominently in their media campaigns. While they are doing a lot of work behind the scenes, people need to see them significantly featured in campaigns, especially with the core messages which catapulted the AFC to prominence and were at the forefront of change going back eight years. Just months ago, Ramjattan was seen in almost every press conference and Voice of the People programmes. While he is appearing at campaigns, missing are his press remarks and analysis from mainstream television and the newspapers.
Complaints about who represents different groups in the coalition are not to be taken lightly. Missing from many messages is the tailoring of messages to different groupings across the country, while women, youth and business have been targeted, missing is that rich diverse cultural flavour in the very campaign advertisements and to some extent at rallies across the country. Embracing, not shying away from our cultural heritage will greatly assist this campaign. I believe the composition of the campaign team may have contributed to this disconnect, where a better reflection of the diversity of the country would have allowed for improved alignment of messages to target groups of voters who are yet to be convinced. Clearly, large blocks of urban and peri-urban areas are already on board. Suffice to say, hundreds of thousands are ready to vote for the coalition, but targeting rural and small business folks with culturally sensitive messages would score a more decisive victory for the coalition!
Humility needs to prevail ahead of triumphalism. The coalition has to avoid, for instance, taking up both carriage ways of a public road, to march on solidarity. There is no need to show support by being reckless and disorderly, while disrupting daily lives of those plying their private business. Steadfast discipline is of utmost importance this election. The coalition must publicly denounce indecent acts which appear to have been the work of their supporters, you are certain the PPP set it up. I say it’s the last chance this country has to overcome this tyrannical regime and chart a people-centred approach.
For the 2500-odd polling stations, the coalition must have at least two scrutineers at each place of poll to ensure balloting is transparent, and attempts to derail the process are not fermented. Two persons, to allow each other the time to go wherever his/her place of poll is stationed, if differently stationed, to cast their ballots without jeopardizing the integrity of the electoral process, and to allow for supplies, bathroom breaks, and fatigue. Strict discipline is needed on this day. Keen attention must also be paid to GECOM staff on their actions. One party is awash win money to bribe its way through the process. More attempts will be made to disrupt the electioneering process. Electoral officials and scrutineers will be under severe strong arm tactics in strong holds of the PPP. Rohee is already signalling the trouble the PPP plans to make such as challenging the electoral process and results. Every attempt to incite and disrupt will be made. So the coalition must be on guard, resolute, armed with mobile phones, and back up personnel to defend their interests. A corrupt government on the verge of losing power is like a tiger backed into a corner.
The coalition needs to be vigilant in these times. Like Mahindra Rajapaksha of Sri Lanka, the man accused of committing war crimes against the Tamils, who tried every possible means of staying in power, firing officials from the Law Courts, trying to manipulate the Electoral Commission with charges of corruption, attempting to incite violence, just to name a few, the coalition must be extremely mindful of PPP statements. The PPP has always tried to switch blame to the feet of the opposition, and this deliberate attempt has always had disastrous consequences for the ordinary folks. Political goon squads are paid hefty sums to infiltrate and carry out dirty work, setting fires to buildings, blocking roads, and beating up a few Indians to show how bad the opposition is, so the coalition needs to be mindful.
Latchman Singh

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