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AFC official resigns over “open display of corruption”
Resigned from AFC: Gladwin Abdulla
An Alliance for Change member who has been actively involved in promoting the party and its proposals in Region Six has, as of the 15th August, last, resigned from the party.
In a resignation notice seen by this publication, Gladwin Abdulla of Fyrish Village stated that he has terminated his membership with the AFC. The missive was addressed to the general secretary of the party, Marlon Williams.
Abdulla stated that the reason behind his resignation was centred “on the many corruption charges being leveled against officials and members of the AFC and their penchant for attacking members who are honest and hardworking”.
He revealed that the tipping point was the $120 million road slashing contract which was awarded to mostly AFC members and officials. He claims that in relation to the contract, “I came face to face with undeniable proof of corruption. I was highly embarrassed by an open display of corruption”
According to Abdulla, many of the AFC members who were given the $120 million contract do not have financial resources execute the work and he was asked to act as a guarantor for a line of credit for them – with two businessmen – to purchase slashers, gas and oil among other items.
“It got worse when only a few days ago I discovered that the workers from #19 Village were not even paid a dollar for the work they did on behalf of an AFC member turned contractor, “Abdulla claimed.
He said that the workers who were not paid, visited his home and complained bitterly, while hurling expletives.
“I had to explain to them that the contractor was holidaying in the US. After much harsh statements they left. I was never so much embarrassed in my life, since this is not the first time that I had to defend this particular AFC member. I recently had to pay $200,000 which he had ‘borrowed’ from a big poultry farmer from Kilcoy whom he had refused to pay. I also lent him various other sums of monies which he has not repaid until now”.
The AFC official said that his brother, Erwin Abdulla, who was an AFC National Executive Committee member resigned soon after the Coalition won the 2015 General Elections, since he was also “shocked by the high level of corruption which began in earnest as soon as the APNU/AFC Government took office”.
The member also claimed that “corrupt AFC members” would tell persons attending their meetings that ” (Gobin) Harbhajan (PM representative)’s contract will not be renewed and that the PM is on his way out”. Harbhajan has been increasingly vocal about alleged corruption issues within the region by government officials. He had raised several issues at the monthly RDC meetings, and emphasised that if the officials are indeed involved in corrupt acts then they should be dealt with.
Abdulla, who was a member of the AFC for over 5 years, stressed that he was a dedicated and committed member of the coalition, “But I soon saw through the facade of pretensions and hypocrisy peddled by the AFC ministers and Party officials. The various ministers who visited Region 6 would often compliment me for the great work I was doing both for the Party and the residents in Region 6.
“My zest and zeal for community development was recognized by everyone and I would even utilize my personal funds to do community works. However, the corruption by the AFC officials was spiraling out of control and the AFC Ministers who regularly visited Region 6 did not even bat an eyelid, even though the media is replete with allegations of AFC corruption.”
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