HASEEF YUSUF, AFC Councillor, Region 6 : IT is with profound thought and extreme deliberation that I have finally made this decision to let the public know, especially the Alliance For Change (AFC) members and supporters in Berbice of the corrupt and fraudulent practices of certain AFC members in Berbice, more specifically a Member of Parliament (MP). 
He has been on DTV 8 for the past few years where he hosted a programme called ‘Issues of the People’, where he vehemently lashed out at the government, the PPP/C, GPL, GWI and the Guyana Police Force, Guysuco, etcetera. He proclaimed himself as the ‘champion’ of transparency, justice and accountability. He entertained anyone who claims to have a grievance and he would lash out without any supporting evidence. He also claimed on numerous occasions that he would ‘singlehandedly’ deliver Berbicians from oppression and corruption, even if the AFC fails to do so.
However, certain post-election events greatly contradicted this image he is trying so hard to portray on TV. I will deal chronologically with these events and you be the judge.
Just after the November elections, three AFC groups submitted financial reports on campaign activities to the Head Office: New Amsterdam, Whim and Upper Corentyne. Two of these groups submitted detailed reports with the necessary supporting documents; however, the Whim Group headed by this MP failed to do so. He submitted a financial report without supporting documents and he furthermore made a ludicrous claim. He claimed that he spent $4.5 M from his pocket and that the party should reimburse him. Two points should be noted here:
I) He was not authorised by the executive or the Campaign Manager to spend in excess of what funds were given to him through the party or by way of donations;
II) He provided no documentary evidence whatever to support his claim of $ 4.5M. In fact, he claimed that he was too busy for that. Right now he is asking for same such evidence in Parliament!
I want to add here that even for funds collected, no receipts were issued. In fact, he would tell a woman working at his house to ‘throw it in the box upstairs.’
The central executive of the party categorically refused to entertain his spurious and unsubstantiated claim for reimbursement. This led to the next linked event.
On February 1 this year, he convened a meeting at his Whim office where 51 members were present. At this meeting, he emphasised that the party owed him $4.5M and he tried to solicit funds through donations and fund- raising activities in order to recoup his claim of $4.5M ‘owed’ to him. He then convened an election to form a Regional Management Committee and to establish an AFC Office at his Office at Whim. One of the functions of this RMC would be fund-raising through which he would get ‘his money back.’
I was unanimously elected by all 51 members present as the Chairman, Mr. Lionel Howell as the Vice- Chairman and Ms. Donna Mathoo as the Secretary.
Among other things, I put forward fund-raising suggestions to the members present and asked their suggestions as to what should be done with excess funds above the needs of individual groups and everyone unanimously agreed that all excess funds should be placed into a bank account to take care of future expenses. No one present agreed that monies collected should be used to offset the claim by the MP. This irked him.
At this same meeting, he also suggested that a certain female be selected and employed to work at the AFC office to be opened at Whim. I strongly objected to this sort of cronyism and suggested that applications be invited so that there is fairness and transparency and that the most suitable person be selected. Can you imagine a fledgling party behaving in this undemocratic manner? Suddenly I became this MP’s number one enemy, but I can live with that!
The third event unfolded on April 16, 2012. Unknowing to Donna Mathoo (the Secretary) and I, another election meeting was convened to re-elect office bearers to the Regional Management Committee. The meeting held on February 1, 2012 was declared unconstitutional by the General Secretary, Mr. Sixtus Edwards. I knew about this meeting two days later when Mr. Lionel Howell called me to hand over some funds and documents to him, the new Chairman.
However three points should be raised here:
i) Donna and I were never officially or unofficially informed that the election held on February 1 was null and void and that we were no longer the Chairman and Secretary respectively, and that the office will become vacant;
ii) We were not invited to present ourselves for nomination or otherwise; and
iii) A public announcement was not made about the election meeting. The AFC’s Constitution Article, Section 8, has made it clear that all groups in the region should be invited for any such meeting. Less than 20 members were present. Why the MP did not make a public announcement on DTV 8 the week before so that members could take notice? Why only a selected handful of members? Is this not rigging? Is this not fraudulent?
It is time to take out the ‘beam from thine own eyes’ Mr. MP!
And lo and behold the very same female whom the good MP recommended was employed to work in the AFC Office! And yet speakest thou about cronyism! This is a shame and disgrace to the very principles which the AFC stand for or claims to stand for!
The million dollar (or 4.5 million) question that I want Mr. Ramjattan to answer is: Was the MP acting in the interest in the AFC or in his own self-interest?
The other questions are:
i) Where is the accountability within the AFC?
ii) Where is the transparency in the electoral process?
iii) Isn’t there cronyism within the AFC?
iv)What are you going to do about these matters?
v) Afraid of another defection if you drop the hammer?
I doubt whether Mr. Ramjattan has the courage to act decisively in these matters since I have emailed him three times and on the third occasion he said that he was too busy and that the General Secretary will deal with these matters.
In any other country the misuse and abuse of campaign funds are dealt with criminally, especially where a person is making unsubstantiated claims in order to enrich himself or herself. But alas ! In Guyana such a person will be promoted to high offices.
I still want to know which university made that terrible blunder to confer that MP with a doctorate as he is unfit for public office and should be severely reprimanded for his actions. I call upon the party’s Chairman, Mr. Ramjattan and the Central Executive to act decisively now or face the consequences later.
At this point I am undecided as to what my next move will be, but I am sure that it hinges on how the party will take it from here.
