AFC opens arms to disenchanted APNU, PPP seniors; ready for talks with TUF
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Sunday, 25 September 2011 14:16
Source
The Alliance For Change (AFC) on Sunday extended its arms to disenchanted senior members of the opposition coalition and the incumbent Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) to contest the 2011 general election.
AFC leader, Raphael Trotman also said he welcomed signals by The United Force (TUF) Deputy Leader, Michael Abraham that his party is being considered an ally. “I’m elated and we’re willing to sit down and have talks with TUF in the interest of Guyana,” he told Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com )
“I had the privilege of spending a few weeks alongside Mr. Abraham in Ireland and I was impressed with his humility sincerity and high degree of patriotism for Guyana,” said Trotman. Abraham was quoted in Sunday’s edition of Stabroek News that he would prefer to see TUF join with the AFC rather than A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) because the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) is yet to apologise for years of rigged elections.
While the AFC has ruled out coalescing with the main opposition PNCR/APNU or the governing Peoples Progressive Party before the polls expected late November or early December, Trotman said his party would “gladly receive leading members of APNU and PPP who may be unhappy.”
The AFC leader pledged that his party would be “welcoming, appreciative, respectful, and inclusive in our relations with them” but the only condition is that they must eschew racial politics.
“Our condition is that they publicly agree to reject the politics of race, hate and revenge and put Guyana first,” he added.
He explained that as a movement, his party could not afford to exclude qualified persons who have contributed to Guyana in the past or are prepared to do so in the future. “
“It would be travesty to exclude those who have a contribution to make and are eminently qualified to do so,” he said.
The AFC’s call comes at a time when there has been some dissent in the majority East Indian-backed PPP by long-serving senior members like Moses Nagamootoo, Navin Chandrapal, Komal Chand and Ralph Ramkarran.
APNU is also said to be having disagreement over the selection of a prime ministerial candidate and the formula for selecting the list of candidates for the 65-seat National Assembly.
Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine of the Working Peoples Alliance (WPA) has conceded that the prolonged delay in naming a prime ministerial candidate has not helped the APNU’s profile. ‘I think the fact that the leadership team has not been made public has been a factor in relation to visibility and so one,” he said.
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Sunday, 25 September 2011 14:16
Source
The Alliance For Change (AFC) on Sunday extended its arms to disenchanted senior members of the opposition coalition and the incumbent Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) to contest the 2011 general election.AFC leader, Raphael Trotman also said he welcomed signals by The United Force (TUF) Deputy Leader, Michael Abraham that his party is being considered an ally. “I’m elated and we’re willing to sit down and have talks with TUF in the interest of Guyana,” he told Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com )
“I had the privilege of spending a few weeks alongside Mr. Abraham in Ireland and I was impressed with his humility sincerity and high degree of patriotism for Guyana,” said Trotman. Abraham was quoted in Sunday’s edition of Stabroek News that he would prefer to see TUF join with the AFC rather than A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) because the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) is yet to apologise for years of rigged elections.
While the AFC has ruled out coalescing with the main opposition PNCR/APNU or the governing Peoples Progressive Party before the polls expected late November or early December, Trotman said his party would “gladly receive leading members of APNU and PPP who may be unhappy.”
The AFC leader pledged that his party would be “welcoming, appreciative, respectful, and inclusive in our relations with them” but the only condition is that they must eschew racial politics.
“Our condition is that they publicly agree to reject the politics of race, hate and revenge and put Guyana first,” he added.
He explained that as a movement, his party could not afford to exclude qualified persons who have contributed to Guyana in the past or are prepared to do so in the future. “
“It would be travesty to exclude those who have a contribution to make and are eminently qualified to do so,” he said.
The AFC’s call comes at a time when there has been some dissent in the majority East Indian-backed PPP by long-serving senior members like Moses Nagamootoo, Navin Chandrapal, Komal Chand and Ralph Ramkarran.
APNU is also said to be having disagreement over the selection of a prime ministerial candidate and the formula for selecting the list of candidates for the 65-seat National Assembly.
Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine of the Working Peoples Alliance (WPA) has conceded that the prolonged delay in naming a prime ministerial candidate has not helped the APNU’s profile. ‘I think the fact that the leadership team has not been made public has been a factor in relation to visibility and so one,” he said.
