Nigel Hughes nominated to lead AFC

Jun 14, 2024 News

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– Sherod Duncan, David Patterson also in the running

Kaieteur News – Former Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes is among several contenders for the leader of that party following its Nomination Day exercise on Wednesday.

Hughes a prominent attorney-at-law had walked away from the AFC back in 2016, but in recent times, he has been seen at outreaches held by the party. AFC insiders said that although Sherod Duncan and David Patterson have also received nominations for the post for leader, Hughes is seen as the likely frontrunner. Duncan led the nominations with 15 groups selecting him, while Hughes and Patterson received two each.

Only recently, Hughes said Guyana is heading down a road to chaos, given its lack of planning and capacity building – a situation that will not only lead to a permanent class of poor citizens, but also an increase in expatriate labour along with its concomitant effect. Hughes pointed out that Guyana has “just finished five years of oil production, if you look at the amount of oil revenue and the demands on the system that will be made in the next five years as those next developments in the oil industry come on-stream, there is no way Guyana is going to be able to satisfy that demand.” He was at the time speaking at an online forum. He adumbrated further, “… we have not begun to demand of our government what is their plan as to how they are going to be dealing with this revenue throughout the economy, we going to be in chaos; we are going to be like a kid in a candy shop with more money and we going to die of diabetes.”

This he said, since at present “…there is no plan whatsoever as to how we are going to manage the economy across the board; we don’t have the capacity; do you understand what it is like to pour money into a system with revenues from oil where you don’t have the capacity.” According to Hughes, it means that the whole country will be faced with the fact that there will be more foreign labour than local labour in Guyana over the next five years and as such, the country will then have to deal with the consequences of that; “because when the foreign labour comes and makes children etcetera, etcetera, what you think is Guyana today will not be recognizable.”

Adamant his position was not “anti-progress”, Hughes said, “I am saying, we are doing zero planning; none of us and we can’t handle what we dealing with now, we have no plan for development as to how much of this money we are investing to protect ourselves, how much of this money we putting into infrastructure, how much of this money we putting into education and how it is that we are protecting our investment; that’s long before you come to leveraging more out of oil from the big producers, so we have some real major issues coming up.” According to Hughes, “the most important and most fundamental aspect that will determine what kind of future we have is education, so let us agree on the best education model that will deliver the best quality education across the board which includes making sure that those people who are not economically fortunate are given the means so they can actually learn.”

Meanwhile, for the position of chairman, Duncan, Cathy Hughes, Patterson and Juretha Fernandes were nominated. For the position of Vice Chairman, Cathy Hughes, Arnold Sukraj, Haimraj Rajkumar, Patterson, Dereck Basdeo, Mark Goring and Michael Carrington. For the position of General Secretary, Ricky Ramsaroop, Dereck Basdeo, Raphael Trotman and Cathy Hughes were nominated.

For his part in accepting the nomination for party leader, Duncan said: “I would like to thank the Alliance For Change members from the bottom of my heart for the honour of being considered for the position to lead the Alliance For Change (AFC) which remains Guyana’s only credible party of change.” Duncan said before he accepts the nomination, “I must let you know that it is with a deep sense of humility, I accept the magnitude of the moment and importantly too, the responsibility that goes with it, and I seek your continued help and your continued guidance.

My deepest appreciation goes to all the party groups for nominating me and I shall forever remain grateful for the recognition that I have received. I hereby give thanks to God with whom all things are possible and express heartfelt thanks to family and friends who continue to give me strength. Allow me to state categorically that although this nomination is pertinent to me, it is and will always remain as a result of dedicated teamwork, involving hardworking members of the Alliance For Change with whom I have had the pleasure to serve with over the years.

Without their input, I would not be standing on this great moment.”

Duncan said being born in Linden and growing up in the shadow of slums and ghettoes in the city, a scrappy kid, “I could not have possibly imagined to one day be standing with my comrades of a great party for consideration of this high office, let alone to be privileged to be nominated in such noble company. Everyone has been nominated, deserves to be here and it is my distinct honour to be mentioned here with them.”  Duncan added: “Friends, as you know, it is never an easy task to contest political office. To do so effectively, you need all the support at your disposal. For this reason, I have taken your nomination to my highest decision-making forum, my family. Your special nomination has proceeded to that forum and what has emerged from there, is my decision… I accept your nomination.”  The conference is slated for June 29.

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• AFC, Attorney-at-Law, David Patterson, Nigel Hughes, Sherod Duncan

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