PERCEPTION HAS BECOME REALITY

Aug 06, 2015 Editorial

The formation of the APNU +AFC coalition in early 2015 and its narrow victory at the polls on May 11, 2015 would have seemed to most, especially political scientists, like a very good political strategy. It seems they would also have quickly recognized and understood that what they were witnessing was the ideal formula for success.
If a leader puts together a number of opposition parties, real or imaginary, into a grand coalition which offers the perception of national unity, then that grand coalition would more than likely be expected to defeat the opponent. This is exactly what took place between APNU – a coalition of six parties – and the AFC on February 14, 2015.
The victory of the coalition, of course, in all honesty owed nothing to a good political strategy but to the convergence of a number of quite specific circumstances which are useful to recall. First, the appointment of Retired Brigadier David Granger to lead the coalition was judicious in that he was not a seasoned politician and was viewed as a leader with integrity. His rise to the leadership of the PNC in 2011 was seen as a harbinger of potential political change not only in the PNC, but also in politics and the country in general. The population, by and large, was impressed in particular with his love for the country.
The second factor was the pivotal role played by the AFC. The AFC had already demonstrated that it had major electoral support in the 2006 and 2011 general elections which for the first time led to a minority PPP government. In those elections, the AFC won five and seven parliamentary seats respectively and was seen as the party of change, especially by the youths.
But more importantly than such support was the AFC’s standing as a reputable party of principles, which it got for the most part from its tireless leaders, Khemraj Ramjattan, Raphael Trotman, Nigel Hughes, Moses Nagamootoo and David Patterson. Actually, these leaders knew that joining with APNU was the vehicle for victory in the 2015 election. Further, it was their only choice of getting rid of the PPP which had held power for twenty-three years and had become nonchalant and complacent. After all, it was not a far-fetched idea.
The other parties of the coalition, though small and without any significant electoral support, contributed important elements to the perception of a national and unified force. Each party assured the nation that they were patriotic and that they stood for national unity.
The APNU+ AFC Coalition convinced the electorate that it would end corruption, reduce crime and would promote the interests of all and not a selected few. It also assured the nation of good governance, transparency and accountability. But, while all these factors were necessary to win the election, they were, by themselves, not enough. What clinched the deal was the people’s desire to break from the shackles of the PPP, especially its de facto leader, Jagdeo.
However, the truth is the disintegration, both in fact and perception, of the PPP, had begun three years prior to the formation of the grand coalition. The PPP, under both Jagdeo and Ramotar, proved to be arguably the most corrupt and immoral government the nation has ever had. They demonstrated that whatever little principles they claimed to have, were essentially for sale.
Everyone knew that for better or for worse, the PPP insisted that it was not interested in any coalition and would rise and fall alone. Rise it did in 1992, but fall alone it also did in May 2015. After losing the majority in 2011, the people sensed that the writing was on the wall for the PPP. The people eagerly awaited the last election because they sensed that this time around was not going to be for the PPP but for tangible change. Perception has become reality.

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