The only decent decision that faces the AFC at the Georgetown Club today

Feb 17, 2018 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

I wonder if the AFC leadership heard what the head of the German Government, Chancellor Merkel said last week about the coalition arrangement. The Finance Ministry went to the junior partner, the Social Democrats. Merkel in an interview said it was painful ceding that ministry, but the minister will not be able to do what he wants.
It is a practical statement that has a realpolitik message. Merkel’s essential point to the world is that her party is in coalition, and in a coalition her party will have its say. The AFC took the opposite position, with all its leaders proclaiming that it cannot be seen to be criticizing its coalition partner, exposing its fundamental ignorance of what coalition government means.
Today at the statutory meeting of its National Executive, there will be no such attitude as the AFC debates the two most important items on the agenda – whether to contest the 2018 local government elections (LGE) separate from APNU and whether to negotiate changes to the Cummingsburg Accord.
What the AFC wants in a renegotiated Accord has not been spelt out since last April when it held its National Executive meeting in Linden and announced that it wants to discuss changes to the covenant. It is doubtful that eighteen months before the campaign season begins in 2019 for the 2020 national elections, APNU will agree to the assignment of more state power to the AFC. Analysis of a renegotiated accord makes no sense until the AFC pronounces on the new shape it wants. What is of more exigent nature for the AFC is the LGE.
The AFC is caught between morality that is important in modern day politics and political pragmatism which inheres in politics generally. Morally, the AFC leaders owe it to themselves and their country to test their support in front of the Guyanese people as the AFC and not as the coalition.
It is important for their own integrity to find out how popular they are with the population. Guyana is governed through the process of electoral competition. A political party like the WPA has become a caricature, because not one Guyanese knows how the WPA will be received by the nation, as it does not contest elections. The AFC should not find itself in such a comical situation.
It can go one of two ways for the AFC, but the shape of the results should not deter the AFC from going to the LGE on its own. If it does not chalk up a decent share of votes in the LGE, then it would know that it has suffered serious fallout with voters since its birth. That information is indispensible for future direction. Without it, then you do not know what are your strengths and weaknesses. If the AFC loses badly on its own in the LGE, it would be a national embarrassment, but the alternative of going with the coalition can be a worse fate.
Instead of testing its electoral credibility and allowing its resilience to help it to re-strategize if its showing is poor, the alternative of going with APNU and not bringing in votes in its known constituencies could spell the permanent humiliation of the AFC, and most definitely there will be no accord for the 2020 elections.
Could the AFC physically survive in this mode? Here is the likely scenario.
If the AFC goes into the LGE as the coalition and it does not win even four NDCs and no municipality where it is supposed to have support, then the PNC leadership will argue that is a rehearsal for what will happen in 2020. Losses in Indian areas in the LGE will tell the PNC that the AFC cannot bring in votes in 2020. It is reasonable, and highly so, for PNC leaders to dilute the AFC presence and input in the arrangements for the 2020 general poll.
One suspects the AFC lives in mortal fear of PNC’s anger if it goes it alone in the LGE and does not win. It fears PNC leaders asking it what it can continue to bring to the table. That should not be the reason why the AFC should continue to contest in a coalition slate. It will never know how even African Guyanese think of it.
That arithmetic is simple. If the coalition picks up Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Bartica, who did they really vote for – the AFC or the PNC. Both parties contesting the election on their own allow them to see what electoral credibility each has. Can the AFC win the Georgetown, Linden and Bartica municipalities on its own?

Latest News

The only decent decision that faces the AFC at the Georgetown Club today

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

NSC, Office of the DPP to host Criminal Law and Sexual Offences Act...

Lucas Chung maintains strong standing at 2nd...

Farm Supplies Ltd. supports Bartica Regatta 2025

Legislation and Investment: Trinidad to Brazil,...

Three more matches billed for this weekend

CM Khan rules at 2025 National Blitz Chess...

Features/Columnists

“One Guyana” is no less a national slogan than “Green Guyana”

If Guyana’s President Ali is the “Zelensky of the Caribbean”, who is the Putin?

Partner v. investor

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

The only decent decision that faces the AFC at the Georgetown Club today

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]