AFC ECD supporters outraged, threaten poll boycott

February 19, 2015 By GuyanaTimes

Opposition Leader David Granger

AFC /APNU coalition fallout

By Michael Younge

Feelings of outrage, disappointment and shock ran through various quarters of the Alliance For Change (AFC) East Coast Demerara (ECD) constituency following the party’s decision to enter into a coalition agreement with the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

Several AFC groups and activists interviewed by the Guyana Times on Wednesday claimed that they were never consulted or given the opportunity to vent how they felt about either the decision to enter coalition talks or to coalesce with APNU. In fact, scores are claiming that the party held little or no consultations with its grassroots support base or those who have given the AFC the support at the ballot boxes that led to it increasing its parliamentary strength after the 2011 polls.

Fifty-two-year-old Shaline Baksh of Coldingen, East Coast Demerara explained that she was almost certain that even after discussions, the AFC would have stood its ground and gone to the polls alone. For her, the party that she joined since 2006 after being fed-up with the PPP/C was no longer her home.

APNU/AFC Prime Minister-designate Moses Nagamootoo

“I liked the AFC, because they were different. They were not like the PNC or PPP. I wanted change, but now I feel like Mr Moses (Nagamootoo) and Khemraj did their own thing without asking us what we wanted,” she said.

Baksh said that she was leaving the AFC as she was unwilling to give her vote to an alliance with the PNC or APNU because of her experiences with both in the past.

Additionally, a cane harvester from AFC’s traditional Enmore-Foulis constituency made it clear that he and his family were unwilling to vote the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) out to make way for David Granger.

“If it was Moses…yes, but now I feel them chaps sell us out. They promised us that they would never join forces with deh PNC or APNU. Moses promise we in de sugar field that he gon wuk for AFC to become Government and be better than de PPP,” the 43-year-old man alleged.

Another woman who chose to be identified only by Savatri said that she felt betrayed and was forced to admit that the PPP/C was right when it alleged that a vote for one is a vote for both. “Me did hear Ramotar and Jagdeo say dah, but me did thought that they were bluffing people to keep us in de PPP. How Moses gon do dah? He know dem people do not care bout us, dem only want we vote and I not voting deh PPP out for dead,” she said strongly.

Others who spoke under the condition of anonymity with this newspaper claimed that the deal which was hurriedly put together to save shame, was done only so that the AFC could get positions and power in Government.

“I don’t care bout power. I trusted the AFC ‘cause I don’t trust the PNC or Granger. I not vex that dem collate. I vex that they didn’t join deh PPP. I don’t think I voting for no APNU Government”, a 32-year-old hairdresser from Annandale said.

Supporting coalition

Meanwhile, many residents in Buxton said that they were open to supporting the coalition led by Granger, they did not appreciate the running mate chosen.

Desire Williams from Buxton argued that while they wanted APNU in Government, they did not want to empower the AFC to the point where the APNU appeared weak.

Mark Thomas, who is another resident from the community and an avid supporter of the AFC, admitted that he was shocked when he heard that the AFC agreed to merge. “I went through nuff things in my village and people use to tell me I sell out. Nuff me friends done calling me and telling me how I mustn’t talk to them about deh AFC again … And I did feel that deh AFC did becoming popular in Buxton…Yes..” Thomas said.

Two others who were very shy and represented two other core AFC groups at Mahaica and Mahaicony said that supporters there were confused as just a few weeks ago, some leaders from the AFC said that they had not joined with APNU. “Is confusion all around. Moses dem really mek a decision. Them man nah talk to nobody and just meet in a fancy place and decide for we. Nuff people ain’t voting back for them,” a 27-year old social worker said.

On Saturday, the AFC chose to form a coalition with APNU after signing the Cummingsburg Accord to contest the May 11, 2015 elections. The party since its launch has promised it would never coalesce with the PNC or APNU.

The embrace of Nagamootoo, Granger ushers much hope for Guyana’s future

DEAR EDITOR,
For a long time, Guyana languished for national and racial unity to move our people forward. That was something PPP founder Dr. Cheddi Jagan preached about and wanted since the 1950s. In 1992, the PNC’s Mr. Desmond Hoyte rejected overtures from Dr. Jagan to consider some kind of unity arrangement. It was shot down by Hoyte because he thought he could win alone.
Therefore, it was delightful and refreshing to see the AFC’s Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan and APNU’s David Granger on the same platform embracing and holding hands together. While they were political opponents, they worked together in the last parliament to bring about transparency and hold the government accountable for its actions.
What was inspiring to hear was Mr. Granger’s remarks that if they win 52% of the votes, they would not leave out the 48%. This is what I call a promise of statesmanship and a big tent approach. It reminds me of the Edwin Markham quote, “They drew a circle to keep us out, heretic, skeptic, a thing to flout, but love and I had wit to win, we drew a circle that took them in.”
Surely, the PPP has a few good people left. President Ramotar is a good man. Dr. Anthony has a Jaganite heart and so do people such as Chairman Armogan in Region 6.
As Guyanese, we need to act on our hopes and dreams, not on our fears and mistrust. When hope is lost, we need to rekindle hope again. We cannot let apathy drive away the desire in our hearts for a better future, and dampen our faith for a new, brighter tomorrow for us and our children. Many of us have prayed, fasted and wished for a better Guyana, and it seems God is answering our call, because here we have two major political groups deciding that we have to hold each other’s hands and lift each other up.
The AFC had said it would not join with the PNC, but as Bro. Nagamootoo explained, this is the road we must take to move Guyana forward. This is not a sell out; this is being sold out to the notion that Guyana cannot move forward unless we have this spirit of reconciliation, spirit of forgiveness, and collective optimism for a better country.
A hole in the boat is a hole in the whole boat. It doesn’t matter if the hole is on the PPP side, the PNC side or the AFC side. We have got to work together in the spirit of togetherness.
Therefore, I call on all my brothers and sisters in every church, every mosque, every temple, and every NGO, to rise up and support this new movement to pull Guyana out of the doldrums and into a new, brighter future. Guyana can rise from the ashes and be great again!
Dr. Jerry Jailall

Topics

AFC ECD supporters outraged, threaten poll boycott

AFC /APNU coalition fallout

By Michael Younge

“I liked the AFC, because they were different. They were not like the PNC or PPP. I wanted change, but now I feel like Mr Moses (Nagamootoo) and Khemraj did their own thing without asking us what we wanted,” she said.

Baksh said that she was leaving the AFC as she was unwilling to give her vote to an alliance with the PNC or APNU because of her experiences with both in the past.

Additionally, a cane harvester from AFC’s traditional Enmore-Foulis constituency made it clear that he and his family were unwilling to vote the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) out to make way for David Granger.

“If it was Moses…yes, but now I feel them chaps sell us out. They promised us that they would never join forces with deh PNC or APNU. Moses promise we in de sugar field that he gon wuk for AFC to become Government and be better than de PPP,” the 43-year-old man alleged.

Others who spoke under the condition of anonymity with this newspaper claimed that the deal which was hurriedly put together to save shame, was done only so that the AFC could get positions and power in Government.

“I don’t care bout power. I trusted the AFC ‘cause I don’t trust the PNC or Granger. I not vex that dem collate. I vex that they didn’t join deh PPP. I don’t think I voting for no APNU Government”, a 32-year-old hairdresser from Annandale said.

Supporting coalition

Meanwhile, many residents in Buxton said that they were open to supporting the coalition led by Granger, they did not appreciate the running mate chosen.

Desire Williams from Buxton argued that while they wanted APNU in Government, they did not want to empower the AFC to the point where the APNU appeared weak.

On Saturday, the AFC chose to form a coalition with APNU after signing the Cummingsburg Accord to contest the May 11, 2015 elections. The party since its launch has promised it would never coalesce with the PNC or APNU.

The embrace of Nagamootoo, Granger ushers much hope for Guyana’s future