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Ramjattan, Patterson ‘ought’ not to re-run for leadership positions — AFC’s constitution
The functions and operations of any organisation, more so a political party is often governed by a Constitution which prescribes how certain activities are to be conducted to ensure the smooth running of the entity.
AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan
On this basis, Article 19(1) of the Alliance for Change’s constitution has prescribed that “The various senior positions of the AFC, including those in the National Executive, Regions and Groups ought to be rotated as far as is possible so that no member is allowed to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office, so as to ensure a broader activism in leadership positions by the membership.”
Further, Article 8 of the same document says that the National Executive Committee shall comprise the following voting members: the leader, the chairman, deputy chairman, general secretary, treasurer, ten members each representing the diaspora in the USA, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean and five persons co-opted by the National Executive from among the members to ensure gender, age, ethnic and regional representation.
As one would have noticed, AFC member and Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, is a member of the National Executive Committee since he is the leader of the party as well as Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson who is the party’s general secretary.
In 2012, both were appointed to their posts following the party’s Third National Conference which was held at Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara. The fourth conference was held on December 6, 2014 after which they were re-elected to sit in the same positions.
At this juncture, it would mean that both members have served in their posts for two consecutive terms. Based on the constitution it is not encouraged that they run for a third term because it would prevent other members from taking up leadership roles thereby promoting broader activism.
When Minister Patterson was contacted yesterday concerning the matter he said that it all boils down to how persons wish to interpret the Article.
According to him, persons need to pay specific attention to the terminology used. He pointed out that the words “ought to be rotated” does not necessarily bar members of the National Executive Committee from running for a third term.
AFC General Secretary, David Patterson
He said that it is one of the things which he loves about the AFC, that its members are not limited in how they wish to function within the party.
Patterson said that based on the terms used, there is an open position on the issue which allows persons to run for the position if need be.
At the party’s press conference on Friday, both Ramjattan and Patterson said that if they were nominated for the leadership position of the party, they would accept the nomination and let the members of the party decide on who should be their next leader.
According to Patterson the conference will be held on January 28, next, at the Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary School in Region Three. Sixteen positions will be contested at the event.
He said that the Party’s membership base is 6000. The party operates under an Electoral College system comprising 275 delegates allocated as follows: Region One – 10 delegates; Region Two – 20 delegates; Region Three – 15 delegates; Region Four – 75 delegates; Region Five – 20 delegates; Region Six – 40 delegates; Region Seven – 10 delegates; Region Eight – 10 delegates; Region Nine – 10 delegates; Region Ten – 20 delegates; Women for Change – 10 delegates; Youths for Change – 10 delegates; USA Chapter – nine delegates; Canada Chapter – six delegates; Caribbean Chapter – six delegates and the United Kingdom Chapter – four delegates.
Voting will be by secret ballot according to the party’s general secretary and nominations will close at noon on January 23.
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