AFC has lost its way, need to refocus for relevance

Aug 20, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Reference is made to Freddie’s column, “Patterson accusation” (Aug 17). The popular columnist is spot on in his critiques and analyses of the AFC. The AFC leadership needs to be honest to itself; the party has lost the trust and confidence of its (former) supporters and the population at large. Its support has been decimated and the party has found itself depending on the PNC for parliamentary representation.
The public appreciates, approves, endorses, and welcomes Freddie’s critique of the opposition. They want more! Even current AFC supporters agree with Freddie, who remains the most popular columnist, writer in Guyana. Instead of attacking or criticising Freddie, the leadership should visit and interact with voters. They would get a rude awakening; voters are most disappointed with them, their behaviour in government, and their neglect of their supporters. The party should also commission a poll (not conducted by me) and it will get a true picture of its support.
The AFC steadily built support from 2005 thru 2015. The public feels its governance for the five years of coalition rule was the worst since the time of Burnham and the first few years of Hoyte. In opinions I polled, the public feels that had the AFC not brought down the PPP in November 2014 and linking up with PNC in 2015, stayed out of government during the coalition, or resigned or pull out from the coalition during the period of misgovernance, it would have retained its base of support and built on it. Many voters feel that had AFC not stained its name by entering into a coalition with the PNC (APNU), it would have done extremely well in 2020. All of that is now water under the bridge as its support has shrunk considerably.
Had the AFC contested on its own in 2015, it would have done poorly. It definitely lost support, getting a fraction of what it obtained in 2011 and 2015. If the party’s leadership genuinely apologises for misgovernance during the coalition rule and behaves responsibly in parliament, as a partner of the official opposition, and distances itself from the crude behaviour of elements among its partners, voters may take a look at it again. As of right now, voters have limited faith in the AFC. Its support base is looking for a credible alternative.

Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram

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AFC has lost its way, need to refocus for relevance

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