AFC reaffirms its commitment to the Coalition Govt.

Apr 17, 2016 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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The Alliance For Change strongly affirms the party’s commitment to the APNU+AFC Coalition.  We wish to allay the fears of all Guyanese in and outside of Guyana which suggested that the AFC may have been getting ready to separate itself from the APNU+AFC Coalition.  This is not so!
Without minimizing any concern or misgiving that any supporter may have, the AFC intends to remain true to every single caveat in the Cummingsburg Accord that was signed on Valentine’s Day 2015.  This accord, though not written in stone (all signatory parties may suggest and obtain consensus for adjustments as circumstances unfold), remains the light that is guiding the Coalition through the long process of restoring Guyana’s economy, our international image, and the physical and procedural infrastructures that EVERY citizen must benefit from, including the instruments that distribute power and control.
One of these instruments was the Local Government Elections which is intended to disseminate governmental powers and responsibilities among communities, neighbourhoods and municipalities.
On Sunday 10th April, the Alliance For Change issued a statement to the public following our Leadership Retreat to review our performance to date, the role that we play as part of the Coalition Government, and to discuss a number of current issues.  These included the January 2016 appointment of a Ministerial Advisor on Business Development made by the Minister of State.  After the Retreat we issued a statement which said in part:-
“The Alliance for Change is of the opinion that the current difficulties which the government has encountered in the continuing revelations arising out of the appointment of the Advisor on Business Development and the issues surrounding this, have their roots in the concentration of the powers of the office of the Cabinet Secretary, the Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency, and the effective Head of (the) Presidential Secretariat in a single person.
The responsibilities of each of the above portfolios are substantial and of critical importance to the smooth operations of the Government (which) would benefit from separate appointments.”
This statement appears to have startled some people who incorrectly interpreted it to mean that the AFC was reviewing its status in the Coalition Government.  Many people did not read the entire statement that also clearly stated, “The Alliance For Change reiterates its commitment to the Coalition Government while recognizing that the principles of good governance, transparency and equal opportunity are fundamental to the success of the Coalition”.
In truth, what is effectively emerging before the people of Guyana is a new political culture. This new paradigm is an exhibition of political maturity and tolerance for different political views. This new culture also allows space for political partners and political adversaries to demonstrate independence of thought and the freedom to ventilate their disagreements without acrimony or discord. It allows for partners to share different points of view and to discuss these differences in order to arrive at common ground, just as married couples do.
This new, open culture can only benefit the nation.  We’d like the nation to accept that while the members of the Coalition will not agree on every matter, we are tolerant of other people’s opinions, and mature enough to accept constructive criticism.
We are obliged to conduct our affairs in a civil but forthright manner, which will always be focused on doing what is best for the people of Guyana. This, we believe, is the guiding principle of national leadership.
In the days following the Sunday announcement, the AFC’s leadership communicated our points of view to H.E. President David Granger, and to the Cabinet of Ministers.  The matters were exhaustively discussed at that forum without acrimony.  This, our good people, is what we mean by MATURE GOVERNANCE.
No more should Guyanese people be forced to endure the culture of complete and total adherence to the “maximum leader” as was practiced by the PPP regime.  No more should our disagreements or dissent be “ruthlessly beheaded”, or the dissenter be cast out into the ‘wilderness’ and declared persona non grata as was the habit of the PPP regime.
Guyana has not only changed our political leaders, we have changed the culture!  We are growing up and the coalition will keep its promise to govern responsibly, with clear heads, while we guard against any tendency towards dictatorship.  Guyanese will not stand for any more of it, we are sure of that!
Prior to May 2015 we had all been subjected to a decadent political culture which did not consider the best interest of the citizenry.  This new culture that the Coalition is honing is a deliberate departure from the ‘old’.  The process is not easy or simple.  Sometimes we stumble, sometimes we disagree, sometimes we take missteps.  We are certainly mature enough to take some steps back, re-examine the decisions we make, change them when they need to be changed, then move forward with consensus from all concerned.
There is one other element that seems to be ingrained in the national consciousness of some Guyanese, a thought process that will not be shifted if the Opposition continues to sow seeds of discord in their traditional support bases, and openly encourage Guyanese people to live their lives in exclusion from national events.
The coalition is aware that people living in some rural communities are being encouraged by their leaders to ignore their country’s 50th Independence Anniversary.  People, this is too big a milestone to ignore.  Every single Guyanese, alive or deceased, has contributed in some way to our reaching this point in our history.  Every single person has a RIGHT to celebrate this achievement in whatever way s/he wants to.  It is spiteful and anti-development to encourage your supporters to bypass the national Jubilee celebrations.  They are being asked to deprive themselves of the opportunity to celebrate the work that THEY DID!  That is unfair!
The National Jubilee is a celebration of the achievements of Guyanese people, from Rohan Kanhai, Alvin Kallicharran and Clive Lloyd, to Madame Justice Desiree Bernard, Justice Mohammed Shahabuddin, Sir Shridath Ramphal and Ambassador Rudy Insanally.  Terry Gajraj must be celebrated, as should be Keith Waithe, John ‘Slingshot’ Drepaul, Aubrey Mann, Charlie Couchman, the Sugar Cake Girls and Winston Caesar.    Their achievements have taken them and this country to the far corners of the world. There is no reason why they should not be celebrated.
Our Coalition Government is still in every sense a very young one, and admittedly, mistakes are made.  Supporters have expressed frustration with certain developments and the purported slow movement with respect to criminal actions expected to be taken against individuals aligned to the previous despotic PPP regime.
Please be assured that with time, experience and sage counsel, we will iron out all the kinks, complete the necessary procedures, and move forward on a smooth plane.  The procedures have to be undertaken with extreme care so that when the ball drops, all concerned will be placed where they should be.
We will not stop until Guyana becomes a nation of happy people who live, work and earn in a true democracy, and this applies to every single Guyanese, irrespective of their political affiliation.

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