The Alliance for Change has lost its way

Aug 15, 2016 Letters

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Dear Editor;
The past year, many, many letters have been written about the disappointment of the AFC. After the one year anniversary of joining the Coalition as a partner in the new government, that list just keeps growing.
The AFC is a big disappointment to and for the Guyanese people. We all know of the PNC and PPP track record. With that being said, the AFC had itself POISED to really reshape the political landscape of Guyana.
The AFC were at the right spot to use the little influence to nudge the PNC straight. The PNC needed the extra votes of the AFC to get things through. That’s where the AFC could have used their few votes to the advantage of the Guyanese people, who so desperately need a REAL government on their side.
The AFC had the golden opportunity to bring civility back to Guyana ’s political landscape. Instead they opted for what the man on the street called “political sell-out” The AFC made an “about face turn” that would have made any military personnel proud.
After the Cummingsburg Accord, some Guyanese were of the opinion that the AFC who accepted the “paltry” positions to get in. Once they were in, they were going to exercise their stated manifesto.
They have enough (sufficient) votes to let the coalition know that they have  “clout”. This clout should allow them (AFC) to wield some power. After all, the PNC needed them….to win the election.
The AFC needs to publicly remind the PNC of its strength (strength of its support)…in no uncertain terms. The past year has told us differently. But we now know that was just the beginning of the true “sell-out” the AFC just “rolled over” and accepted what the PNC handed to them.
A political disgrace! AFC Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo, at the middle of the ongoing negotiations (the initial), had indicated that he was willing to serve as Prime Minister in the proposed coalition.
We were told that his decision did not find favour with AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, who had arbitrarily selected him as the party’s Presidential Candidate for the May 11 election. The Alliance for Change (AFC) ceded its ambition to lead the proposed coalition with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), accepting the number two spot.
It needs to be pointed out as a reminder what he (Nagamootoo) said. He related that he was quite satisfied with the way things were progressing.
Saying that APNU will easily win 40 per cent of the votes at the upcoming elections, the AFC had previously said it could give the David Granger-led coalition the other 11 per cent it needed to clinch a majority at the polls.
Regarding the crucial issue of leadership, Granger dodged specific questions about whether he would be willing to give up the presidential candidacy, since the AFC had demanded the leadership of any coalition as a make-or-break decision.
He said that at this point in time. David Granger was not the important factor, but rather it was the interests of the Guyanese people and as such, decisions would have to be taken accordingly.
We all remember that at the formation of the minority Opposition party, they had vowed that they would never join forces with any of the established parties – PNCR and People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)……so much for that?
Even when it came to policies that were damaging to the AFC, policies that have their reputation in question, they “rolled over” and accepted what was handed to them.
A sell-out of the Guyanese people. But as the saying goes, they got tarnished by the PNC somewhere down the line. The AFC drove the final nail in their own coffin when the FIASCO with Harmon unfolded.
We all remember when the story broke; the senior AFC members raised a furor, (for a day or so). One saying he had no knowledge of BK’s appointment.
One official even handed in his resignation (for a day or so), “AFC debunks Harmon’s explanation for appointing Brian Tiwarie” KN Apr 17, 2016. “Nigel Hughes quits as Chairman of AFC” KN Apr, 12 2016. Then everything went back to normal. Why after a day or so everyone had that sudden change of heart? Was everyone “politically” bought off? The list goes on and on.
Psychology has taught us that when an individual or group embarks on a mission, or an endeavor, there is always a plan, an agenda that is the foundation of achieving that goal.
As we all know that he, who fails to plan, plans to fail. In the pursuit of that goal, one has two distinct choices to make. One is sticking to the plan and the other is allowing oneself to be deviated off the path.
The outcome of staying or deviating is dependant on the intrinsic intension of being true to the inner self or conning your way. The AFC either had the pure goal, intention at the beginning of being truthful to the Guyanese people. Or the plan all along was to con the people from the beginning.
It is very difficult to see a party that promised so much, make such an about face. …in such a short time period. Let judge however we wish?
This was definitely the “official death” of the AFC. The party we had so much hope for and a personal disappointment for me.
Muhammad Raoof,
USA

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