AFC emasculated after signing Valentine’s Day Accord – independent commentators

Topics

Former Member

AFC emasculated after signing Valentine’s Day Accord – independent commentators

BY DEVINA SAMAROO, February 14, 2016 By GuyanaTines, http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/2...endent-commentators/

One year ago, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) joined forces

in unwavering matrimony through the signing of the historic Cummingsburg Accord (Valentine’s Day Accord) with unyielding dedication to change the name of politics in Guyana, with the country’s first ever six-party coalition Government.

AFC Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo and APNU Chairman David Granger share a light moment after signing the Cummingsburg Accord on February 14, 2015

However, critics believe that the Administration has fallen short on one too many of its promises and have already forecasted nothing but a bleak future, particularly for the AFC-arm of the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led coalition.

With the honeymooning season over, prominent political commentators and players had lots to say as they reflected on the coalition’s first year together as partners in politics against the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration.

Economist Ramon Gaskin reminisced that it was only a year ago that the two parties, eager to gain Executive power, teamed up to defeat the longstanding PPP/C Government.

“Without them coming together, the APNU could not have won the elections alone because the PPP/C is still a bigger party than all of them,” he noted.

But Gaskin highlighted that while the APNU was reaping all the benefit from this sweet victory, the AFC was left in the shambles.

Political Commentator Ramon Gaskin

“Everyone can see that the AFC lost some grounds in the immediate run-up to the General and Regional Elections in Regions Five and Six… the AFC continues to lose ground among its supporters. They can’t make it on their own now. They would not survive,” Gaskin predicted.

Gaskin expressed that it appears the AFC has been shafted by the PNC-led Government; however, for reasons unknown, they would not complain.

“They could have gotten more but they seem happy. Nagamootoo, Hughes, Patterson and Ramjattan…,” he said.

Gaskin explained that while the Cummingsburg Accord promised a 40:60 split between the two parties, the AFC continues to be left behind. He highlighted, for example, that State boards are made up predominantly of PNC members.

Moreover, commenting on the coalition Government’s performance together thus far, Gaskin rated it as “reasonable”.

He also expressed concerns over the influx of ex-military personnel into high-ranking positions within Government.

Former Government Minister, Dr Henry Jeffrey, also believes the AFC will be completely wiped out if they ever embark upon entering the political arena as a single entity again.

He believes both sides are well aware of the circumstances and therefore, the AFC will continue to do anything to stay in power while the APNU will remain in control.

“The coalition has placed much emphasised on staying in Government other than political relationships among themselves… They are set upon staying in Government, so the AFC will bend with the winds to just stay in Government, and the larger party will continue to rule,” Dr Jeffrey presumed.

He explained that one of the detrimental elements between the parties is the fact that there is no political framework in place to determine policies within the coalition.

Also expressing his views on the Government’s effectiveness thus far, the former Minister said he is rather disappointed.
Using the Wales Estate closure debacle as an example, he posited that the Government is only making matters worse for themselves.

At best, Dr Jeffrey would rate their performance as “mediocre”, noting that it appears the Government’s flagship programme is mainly cleaning up Georgetown. Political Opponent Vishnu Bandhu of the United Republican Party also anticipated doom for the ‘newlyweds’.

Bandhu too shared the view that the AFC component is being undermined and bullied and against that backdrop, he believes there will soon be a rift between the parties as there previously was with the PNC and The United Force (TUF).

“The AFC is definitely being used. I think there will be a repeat of history like when The United Force coalesced with the PNC and a few months after, the PNC kicked them out,” Bandhu projected.

He added that it appears Minister of State Joseph Harmon has more executive power than the Prime Minister, and concluded that the coalition really has no need for Nagamootoo other than to have him as a “rubber stamp”.

“They just want to show the Indian people ‘oh look we have an Indian person here’,” Bandhu expressed.

Sharing his views on the coalition’s performance so far, the URP Leader said he is particularly discontented with the manner in which the Government is treating the rice farmers and sugar workers.

He also expressed concern over what he deemed as a “heavy racial discrimination” brewing within the Government quarters.
Guyana Times made efforts to contact senior members of the coalition to comment on their experience working together; however all attempts were futile.

AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes declined to express his opinions and advised this newspaper to contact AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan or Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

Calls to the mobile phones of Ramjattan, APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon, and AFC General Secretary David Patterson went unanswered and were not immediately returned.

There is a wide perception that there is a battle for power within the coalition Government – with Nagamootoo expressing his desires to have a one-term presidential limit and with the President reconfiguring the Ministry of the Presidency to include the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), rather than having the OPM as a separate entity.

Notably, the parties have clearly been in breach of the much touted “Cummingsburg Accord”. Specifically, contrary to the Accord, Nagamootoo does not chair Cabinet, nor is he in charge of domestic national affairs.

In fact, the powers he was promised have all been diminished to oversight of the information sector of the State media.
Only recently, the President overrode a decision pronounced by the Director of Public Information (DPI) in relation to the operations of the State media.

The DPI, which falls under the remit of the Prime Minister, declared that Government Information Agency (GINA) will not cover the affairs of the parliamentary Opposition but the President later came forward to dismiss those statements.

The Accord also stated that the Prime Minister would recommend ministerial appointments and provide organisational structures for Ministries – for the approval of the President and the appointment of heads of agencies and non-constitutional commissions.

Interestingly, in September last, the former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran had also predicted danger ahead for the coalition given the violations of the Cummingsburg Accord and alleged internal pressure on President David Granger from the PNC arm of the alliance.

Ramkarran recognised that the Accord has been blatantly breached and if it were not addressed quickly and appropriately, the parties could expect to lose support, particularly the AFC.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Former Member

Ramon Gaskin, the ONLY "independent" commentator interviewed for this article by the LIARS and corrupters at the Guyana Times never used the words "emasculated" or "shafted". . .

in fact, the single judgmental adjective referencing AFC-APNU actually spoken by the man was a performance rating of "reasonable"

ravi dev, jagdeo and other enablers of the looting of Guyana operating out of the stolen Sanata complex literally have NO SHAME

the other people 'contributing' their opinions to this sophomoric attempt at Soviet-era throwback propaganda are a former PPP minister and sundry racists and activists associated with the PPP

antimanism!

2/15/166:51 AM

Former Member

The PPP and their scoundrel tactics through this yellow rag never let up. It is one reason people like me will never see them as wholesome. They are a bunch of low life scumbags whose only purpose to be a party is to scam and con and corrupt our nation.

2/15/166:59 AM

NehruBig Mouth Member

HAHAHAHA THE TRUTH HURTS AND I CAN SEE THE PAIN ON THESE IDIOTS FACES!!!

2/15/1610:44 AM

Former Member

APNU+AFC must not discount the opinions of people like Ramon Gaskin and Dr Henry Jeffrey. I have observed that more and more coalition supporters and ex-coalition supporters expressing concern about the status of the AFC in the government vis a vis the Cummingsburg Accord, as well as the general performance of the coalition.

Yesterday on Facebook, for example, coalition supporter Sasenarine Singh posted this allegorical verse from William Butler Yeats ---- "Hurrah for revolution and more cannon-shot!
A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot.
Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again!
The beggars have changed places, but the lash goes on." You can decode that easily.

And, this morning APNU+AFC supporter Rajendra Bisessar wrote the following on his Facebook Timeline: "we need to induce a new politics. The body politics of this country has been screwed badly. We need to develop independent minds that can resist the navel string syndrome. This is how we begin to hold governments, any government, accountable. This is how we can get Guyana moving forward. leaders have got to learn, or be forced taught that those who are critical are not pariahs to be shunted aside and marginalised. Marginalisation of those who exercise independent minds, who are not afraid to be critical would reduce the possible creativity and vision of any government. Unfortunately there is a tendency for leaders to bring close to them those who have mastered the art of kowtowing. These leaders do injustice to themselves and those they serve." Bisessar was a APNU+AFC candidate in the elections last year.

Of course, one can expect Guyana Times and the PPP to make big propaganda with these views. The coalition needs to take stock periodically and address the concerns expressed by its supporters. Ditto the AFC.

2/15/1611:18 AM

seignetSenior Member

The country has a serious problem. In the event of a demise of Granger(as many GNIers think of ole people dying at the drop of a hat) the drama after is not promising. The current government is not of a political party. It is essentially of special individuals. And mainly ex-army personnel. I see a Fiji. It has gone past the stage of a making. It has already been entrenched.

A political system is not an achievable goal Guyanese people ever set for themselves. Perhaps, it is distrust that forced Granger to squander away the opportunity of forging a destiny that for generation the people of Guyana dreamed of.

2/15/1612:56 PM

Former Member

Gilbakka posted:
APNU+AFC must not discount the opinions of people like Ramon Gaskin and Dr Henry Jeffrey. I have observed that more and more coalition supporters and ex-coalition supporters expressing concern about the status of the AFC in the government vis a vis the Cummingsburg Accord, as well as the general performance of the coalition.
Yesterday on Facebook, for example, coalition supporter Sasenarine Singh posted this allegorical verse from William Butler Yeats ---- "Hurrah for revolution and more cannon-shot!
A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot.
Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again!
The beggars have changed places, but the lash goes on." You can decode that easily.
And, this morning APNU+AFC supporter Rajendra Bisessar wrote the following on his Facebook Timeline: "we need to induce a new politics. The body politics of this country has been screwed badly. We need to develop independent minds that can resist the navel string syndrome. This is how we begin to hold governments, any government, accountable. This is how we can get Guyana moving forward. leaders have got to learn, or be forced taught that those who are critical are not pariahs to be shunted aside and marginalised. Marginalisation of those who exercise independent minds, who are not afraid to be critical would reduce the possible creativity and vision of any government. Unfortunately there is a tendency for leaders to bring close to them those who have mastered the art of kowtowing. These leaders do injustice to themselves and those they serve." Bisessar was a APNU+AFC candidate in the elections last year.
Of course, one can expect Guyana Times and the PPP to make big propaganda with these views. The coalition needs to take stock periodically and address the concerns expressed by its supporters. Ditto the AFC.

there is enough amiss that intelligent people can lash the coalition for

however, the PPP with their fellow traveling mental midget crew on their knees before the rat seem to feel that facts are never enough; that the crude lie and race-baiting are virtues above all others

why is that?

2/15/161:46 PM

Bibi HaniffaGNI Queen

Base - thanks for sharing your experience with us on your dealings with the AFC. I have to admit my surprise that someone with your level of intelligence actually flirted with them, but lucky that you bailed early. Someone would have had to be a special kind of stupid to get caught up in that AFC mess. Anyone with half a brain could have seen that this was a recipe for disaster from the start. Their mission never had anything to do with the people of Guyana. As recent as this week I saw Mitwah bragging about how Moses and Prakash toppled the PPP. Now that is some real myopic thinking.

2/15/161:58 PM

Former Member

baseman posted:
My short involvement with them, it was clear they were a recipe for disaster for Guyana in general and Indians in particular. Baseman saw the writing on the wall but was consistently told, we need to see the backs of the PPP and BJ, that was paramount.
The Indian faction in the AFC were all consumed by this irrational hatred for BJ and, by extension, the PPP. This made them careless and myopic and many believed jobs awaited. They were so consumed and focused on outing the PPP that they never cared to watch or study their flank.
For me, merely seeing the back of BJ and the PPP was not enough a value proposition. I wanted better government and a more responsive PPP. My view, it was clear, the PNC remained overly militaristic and pregnant with old-order dead-enders who knew how to do anything different!!
The anti-PPP focus was so evident that whenever I posted anti-PNC comments on the FB page, much of my posts were deleted. The AFC FB admin even granted admin rights to a notable PNCite, something to which I objected. I thought, what the heck, we are supposed to be independent and a change, why are we soft and accommodating to the PNC and their despotic era!
Today, all what I said back then is coming to past. It was so evident and clear to me, but they buried their heads in the sand and hope for the 2nd coming of Christ!! The PNC had all the pieces in place to resurrect the old order in short order, an order which oppressed, ostracized, subjugated, brutalized and drove vast swathes of Indians away from Guyana.
Baseman warned that the AFC is merely a PNC Trojan horse!!

but baseman, u are a notorious on-the-record bigot

you specialize in browbeating Indian Guyanese into believing that they are weak antimen needing the agency of gangsters and narco-murderers to stand up and be real men

who do u speak for again?

2/15/162:07 PM

Former Member

baseman posted:
redux posted:
baseman posted:
My short involvement with them, it was clear they were a recipe for disaster for Guyana in general and Indians in particular. Baseman saw the writing on the wall but was consistently told, we need to see the backs of the PPP and BJ, that was paramount.
The Indian faction in the AFC were all consumed by this irrational hatred for BJ and, by extension, the PPP. This made them careless and myopic and many believed jobs awaited. They were so consumed and focused on outing the PPP that they never cared to watch or study their flank.
For me, merely seeing the back of BJ and the PPP was not enough a value proposition. I wanted better government and a more responsive PPP. My view, it was clear, the PNC remained overly militaristic and pregnant with old-order dead-enders who knew how to do anything different!!
The anti-PPP focus was so evident that whenever I posted anti-PNC comments on the FB page, much of my posts were deleted. The AFC FB admin even granted admin rights to a notable PNCite, something to which I objected. I thought, what the heck, we are supposed to be independent and a change, why are we soft and accommodating to the PNC and their despotic era!
Today, all what I said back then is coming to past. It was so evident and clear to me, but they buried their heads in the sand and hope for the 2nd coming of Christ!! The PNC had all the pieces in place to resurrect the old order in short order, an order which oppressed, ostracized, subjugated, brutalized and drove vast swathes of Indians away from Guyana.
Baseman warned that the AFC is merely a PNC Trojan horse!!
but baseman, u are a notorious on-the-record bigot
you specialize in browbeating Indian Guyanese into believing that they are weak antimen needing the agency of gangsters and narco-murderers to stand up and be real men
who do u speak for again?
Not that new breed down deh now. CBJ made Indians into a pacifist set after 1964. Them new bannas rough and tumble, but the AK47's still stack in PNC favor!!

Roger Khan bamboozled a hapless and corrupt Bharat Jagdeo to become kriminal kingpin and kingmaker in Guyana, for awhile . . . he wan "black man" now in orange jumpsuit and shackles courtesy of Uncle Sam

but u and 'dem' still soldiering on, poking around, searching desperately for the same (now collapsed) vein to plunge the same poisoned hypodermic into the Indo body politic . . . again

uh huh

2/15/162:36 PM

Former Member

baseman posted:
redux posted:
Roger Khan bamboozled a hapless and corrupt Bharat Jagdeo to become kriminal kingpin and kingmaker in Guyana, for awhile . . . he wan "black man" now in orange jumpsuit and shackles courtesy of Uncle Sam
but u and 'dem' still soldiering on, poking around, searching desperately for the same (now collapsed) vein to plunge the same poisoned hypodermic into the Indo body politic . . . again
uh huh
You need to direct your tantrums to Mr Ramon Gaskin and his observations. I am merely reflecting my experiences which seem to jive with today's outcome as articulated by Mr Gaskin!!

i read what Ramon Gaskin reportedly said and commented on what he actually said right here on this thread

your vomit is in/of a separate universe

focus

2/15/162:49 PM

kpHonorary Member

Today, all what I said back then is coming to past. It was so evident and clear to me, but they buried their heads in the sand and hope for the 2nd coming of Christ!! The PNC had all the pieces in place to resurrect the old order in short order, an order which oppressed, ostracized, subjugated, brutalized and drove vast swathes of Indians away from Guyana. Indians will not stay and fight, history speaks for it's self, this is another way of tipping the scales in favour of the PNC.

2/15/163:04 PM

DjangoAdmin

baseman posted:
seignet posted:
.... And mainly ex-army personnel. I see a Fiji. It has gone past the stage of a making. It has already been entrenched.
True, this is what you see talking to people like a Caribj, etc. To many Afros in Guyana, Indians are still on an extended Indenture contract and have no right to rule Guyana!

Base..i a disagree with you,they have that right the party that represents them need to attract more of the other races,i mentioned before depending on the Indian votes alone will not cut the mustard,the population is changing.

I am reading up on some info the division started a few years after the inception of self government during the colonial rule.Burnham propagate it,Jagan time was cut short time to go,BJ came thru the back door young vibrant a breath of fresh air swept thru the land a few years we saw the results.

Race base politics is detrimental to the homeland,this will never end until the PPP and PNC are kicked to the curb,when will that happen i don't think it will in my life time.

Just my two cents.

2/15/163:14 PM

DjangoAdmin

baseman posted:
Not that new breed down deh now. CBJ made Indians into a pacifist set after 1964. Them new bannas rough and tumble, but the AK47's still stack in PNC favor!!

Na bhai..the Kabaha did that,he knew the wrath of Indians.

2/15/163:21 PM

Skip to main content

Topics

BY DEVINA SAMAROO, February 14, 2016 By GuyanaTines, http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/2...endent-commentators/

One year ago, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) joined forces

in unwavering matrimony through the signing of the historic Cummingsburg Accord (Valentine’s Day Accord) with unyielding dedication to change the name of politics in Guyana, with the country’s first ever six-party coalition Government.

However, critics believe that the Administration has fallen short on one too many of its promises and have already forecasted nothing but a bleak future, particularly for the AFC-arm of the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led coalition.

With the honeymooning season over, prominent political commentators and players had lots to say as they reflected on the coalition’s first year together as partners in politics against the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration.

Economist Ramon Gaskin reminisced that it was only a year ago that the two parties, eager to gain Executive power, teamed up to defeat the longstanding PPP/C Government.

“Without them coming together, the APNU could not have won the elections alone because the PPP/C is still a bigger party than all of them,” he noted.

But Gaskin highlighted that while the APNU was reaping all the benefit from this sweet victory, the AFC was left in the shambles.

“Everyone can see that the AFC lost some grounds in the immediate run-up to the General and Regional Elections in Regions Five and Six… the AFC continues to lose ground among its supporters. They can’t make it on their own now. They would not survive,” Gaskin predicted.

Gaskin expressed that it appears the AFC has been shafted by the PNC-led Government; however, for reasons unknown, they would not complain.

“They could have gotten more but they seem happy. Nagamootoo, Hughes, Patterson and Ramjattan…,” he said.

Gaskin explained that while the Cummingsburg Accord promised a 40:60 split between the two parties, the AFC continues to be left behind. He highlighted, for example, that State boards are made up predominantly of PNC members.

Moreover, commenting on the coalition Government’s performance together thus far, Gaskin rated it as “reasonable”.

He also expressed concerns over the influx of ex-military personnel into high-ranking positions within Government.

Former Government Minister, Dr Henry Jeffrey, also believes the AFC will be completely wiped out if they ever embark upon entering the political arena as a single entity again.

He believes both sides are well aware of the circumstances and therefore, the AFC will continue to do anything to stay in power while the APNU will remain in control.

“The coalition has placed much emphasised on staying in Government other than political relationships among themselves… They are set upon staying in Government, so the AFC will bend with the winds to just stay in Government, and the larger party will continue to rule,” Dr Jeffrey presumed.

He explained that one of the detrimental elements between the parties is the fact that there is no political framework in place to determine policies within the coalition.

Also expressing his views on the Government’s effectiveness thus far, the former Minister said he is rather disappointed. Using the Wales Estate closure debacle as an example, he posited that the Government is only making matters worse for themselves.

At best, Dr Jeffrey would rate their performance as “mediocre”, noting that it appears the Government’s flagship programme is mainly cleaning up Georgetown. Political Opponent Vishnu Bandhu of the United Republican Party also anticipated doom for the ‘newlyweds’.

Bandhu too shared the view that the AFC component is being undermined and bullied and against that backdrop, he believes there will soon be a rift between the parties as there previously was with the PNC and The United Force (TUF).

“The AFC is definitely being used. I think there will be a repeat of history like when The United Force coalesced with the PNC and a few months after, the PNC kicked them out,” Bandhu projected.

He added that it appears Minister of State Joseph Harmon has more executive power than the Prime Minister, and concluded that the coalition really has no need for Nagamootoo other than to have him as a “rubber stamp”.

“They just want to show the Indian people ‘oh look we have an Indian person here’,” Bandhu expressed.

Sharing his views on the coalition’s performance so far, the URP Leader said he is particularly discontented with the manner in which the Government is treating the rice farmers and sugar workers.

He also expressed concern over what he deemed as a “heavy racial discrimination” brewing within the Government quarters. Guyana Times made efforts to contact senior members of the coalition to comment on their experience working together; however all attempts were futile.

AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes declined to express his opinions and advised this newspaper to contact AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan or Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

Calls to the mobile phones of Ramjattan, APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon, and AFC General Secretary David Patterson went unanswered and were not immediately returned.

Notably, the parties have clearly been in breach of the much touted “Cummingsburg Accord”. Specifically, contrary to the Accord, Nagamootoo does not chair Cabinet, nor is he in charge of domestic national affairs.

In fact, the powers he was promised have all been diminished to oversight of the information sector of the State media. Only recently, the President overrode a decision pronounced by the Director of Public Information (DPI) in relation to the operations of the State media.

The DPI, which falls under the remit of the Prime Minister, declared that Government Information Agency (GINA) will not cover the affairs of the parliamentary Opposition but the President later came forward to dismiss those statements.

The Accord also stated that the Prime Minister would recommend ministerial appointments and provide organisational structures for Ministries – for the approval of the President and the appointment of heads of agencies and non-constitutional commissions.

Interestingly, in September last, the former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran had also predicted danger ahead for the coalition given the violations of the Cummingsburg Accord and alleged internal pressure on President David Granger from the PNC arm of the alliance.

Ramkarran recognised that the Accord has been blatantly breached and if it were not addressed quickly and appropriately, the parties could expect to lose support, particularly the AFC.

Add Reply

Membership Required

Remove From Your Block List

Manage Follow Preferences

Block

Premium Membership Required

GNI VIP Member

Please wait...

Also expressing his views on the Government’s effectiveness thus far, the former Minister said he is rather disappointed.
Using the Wales Estate closure debacle as an example, he posited that the Government is only making matters worse for themselves.

He also expressed concern over what he deemed as a “heavy racial discrimination” brewing within the Government quarters.
Guyana Times made efforts to contact senior members of the coalition to comment on their experience working together; however all attempts were futile.

In fact, the powers he was promised have all been diminished to oversight of the information sector of the State media.
Only recently, the President overrode a decision pronounced by the Director of Public Information (DPI) in relation to the operations of the State media.