Forms of APNU+AFC governance that are less democratic

Mar 17, 2019 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

On Thursday evening, in front of the AFC’s office, I was in conversation with AFC parliamentarian, Audwin Rutherford and AFC’s General-Secretary, Marlon Williams, the contents of which, I will come to below.
From the time APNU+AFC came to power, it earned a few critics whose credentials were formidable. I can think of two of them – David Hinds and Lincoln Lewis. The sermon of these men was as simple as any reasoning can get. It went like this and it continues like this. You cannot earn the support of the nation if you behave as the rulers you removed and once you behave this way, you will be the subject of criticism.
Hinds and Lewis paid the price for such criticism. Their columns in the Chronicle were pulled. Hinds wrote that the job he had with a certain ministry was terminated. My position on the government of APNU+AFC is I think beyond the criticism of Hinds and Lewis. What I will write in the next few lines, Hinds and Lewis haven’t gone in that direction as yet. I don’t know if they will.
I am clear in my mind about four dimensions of politics. One – I will not vote for APNU+AFC again (of course I will never vote for the PPP). Two – APNU+AFC, if they are reelected should not get even close to a majority. Three – all the leaders of the PNC and AFC have no leadership qualities whatsoever, are incompetent, and unconcerned about the poorer classes and the finer tenets of good governance and democracy. Four – I believe there are areas of governance that are less democratic than when the PPP ruled.
I now return to what I said to Rutherford and Williams, both of whom are my friends, but they know I am not even a remote supporter of the AFC. I explained to both men that I am in possession of a trove of emails from the UG unions to their fellow academics, and If I showed them the contents, they would never believe these things are being said about terrible governance at UG in 2019, because the contents of these emails are as follows – identical to the complaints made when the PPP controlled UG and in a number of areas, the dictatorial rule is worse than under the PPP government.
I quote from Dr. Jewel Thomas in an email sent to her colleagues on how she has been treated as a woman by the leading male power-holders at UG. In my 26 years of fighting successive UG administrations, I never saw such atrocities under the Jagdeo/Ramotar reign. What Dr. Thomas has complained about makes for sick and sad reading. I can quote from her email because it has gone viral at UG.
Here is what this scholar wrote about mistreatment at UG in 2019 almost four years after the PPP lost power; “When the (designation withheld) allowed me to speak in response to his attack on me – he raised his finger at me and indicated (voice raised – indicating that I was only being ‘allowed’ one minute to speak). He literally said he would allow me one minute to speak. I will say that in the context, I could not interpret his statement that he knows I have a doctorate to be complimentary. He has never raised his voice at another Council member, and he has also never given anyone else ‘one minute’ in which to speak. This is the second time he has raised his voice in speaking to me. He is the third man in authority at Council meetings who has raised his voice at me. E. Nigel Harris did so, the (name withheld) did so, and now he is following them. I have never raised my voice, nor have I ever stood and banged on the table (other members of Council have done this). E. Nigel Harris apologized afterwards. Neither the (designation withheld) nor the (designation withheld) has done so.”
The nation would be shocked (not me; I know how terrible this incompetent government is) who the persons are that Dr. Thomas referred to. I went on to tell the two AFC big wigs that of the writers of these emails, only one is East Indian, and he campaigned for the AFC. The rest are African Guyanese academics, none of whom ever had even a distant relation with the PPP.
Those who dislike criticism of APNU+AFC because it plays into the hands of the PPP and it could lead to the PPP returning to power, are essentially dishonest people. The truth, the wholesome truth, is that bad governance of the APNU+AFC coalition has emboldened the PPP. God is dead, Marx is dead, Mandela is dead and Guyana is dying.

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Forms of APNU+AFC governance that are less democratic

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