AFC accuses Govt. of sidelining and marginalizing opposition

Sep 02, 2023 News

… calls for “schoolboy behaviour” to end

Kaieteur News – In a stern and candid address today, Cathy Hughes, Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), openly criticized the ongoing rift between President Irfaan Ali and Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, and urged an end to what she called “immature, schoolboy behaviour” on both sides.

During an AFC press conference, Hughes made her stance clear, emphasizing the need for maturity in politics, regardless of the election’s outcome. She stated, “We have to get to the level of maturity, where regardless of who the winner is, we don’t behave like little school boys in kindergarten, and we can reach out across the divide to build Guyana.”

The tensions between President Ali and the Opposition Leader have persisted for more than a year, with official talks remaining elusive. While they met in May 2022 to discuss critical Constitutional and statutory appointments, relations soured after a subsequent planned meeting collapsed. Aubrey Norton’s refusal to shake the President’s hand at an event further escalated the discord.

Recently, the United States expressed a willingness to mediate between the two leaders, but President Ali dismissed the idea. Hughes, however, stressed that personal issues should not hinder national development and called on the President to take the high road. She urged him to extend an official invitation to the Opposition Leader to discuss pressing matters such as the rising cost of living and its impact on the working class.

“The immature attitude just gets us absolutely nowhere,” Hughes asserted. “When it comes to engagement, there is no progress. We’re not going anywhere. All of us are not serving the people of Guyana with the current engagement or lack of engagement.”

Hughes also highlighted what she perceived as a deliberate effort by the government to sideline and marginalize the Opposition. She pointed out that, unlike past practices, the government had not invited Opposition Members to sit on State Boards, which contradicted transparency and accountability principles. She said, “We have not received one letter inviting any political party or member of the opposition to sit on those State Boards.”

Furthermore, Hughes accused the government of excluding the Opposition from Independence and Republic Day celebrations, alleging that such actions were contributing to the creation of a “One Party State.”

Cathy Hughes, through her impassioned plea for political maturity and transparency, underscored the deepening divide between the government and the Opposition in Guyana, calling for a more inclusive and constructive approach to national governance.

Alliance For Change, Aubrey Norton, Cathy Hughes, Chairman, President Irfaan Ali

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AFC accuses Govt. of sidelining and marginalizing opposition

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