Dear Editor,
Earlier this year I penned a letter pointing out that the AFC has, as a matter of policy, left out Muslims from its hierarchy. In that letter I surmised that there is not a single Muslim parliamentarian, their condemnation of the government of Guyanaβs visits to the Middle East in search of investments and their silence on the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people support this notion.
My views were further solidified when the AFC convened its national conference on Saturday and not one Muslim was viewed good enough to merit a place on the AFC's National Executive body.
The AFC believes that as a third force in Guyana, they hold the balance of power in this country; they couldn't have been more wrong. Daily we see that it is in fact the Muslims with their 12-17 per cent following
are the ones who truly control the balance of power in our country.
Therefore for the AFC to progress, it becomes necessary for this factto be reflected in its leadership. The Peopleβs Progressive Party/Civic(PPP/C) is perhaps the only party in Guyana that has recognised this fact and given the Muslims in this country their due. Even to a lesser extent, the PNC under Forbes Burnham and Desmond Hoyte had a number of Muslims in their ranks. It was rumoured that current Mayor Hamilton Green was once a Muslim.
The AFC cannot continue to turn a blind eye to Muslims and expect to win an election in Guyana. The great USA for all its racism and anti-Muslim hate as we witness on a daily basis and whom the AFC sees as the pillar of democracy recognises the importance of Muslims to the development of their society. It is to the detriment of the AFC should they continue to ignore the
section of the population who hold the balance of power in Guyana.
As-Salaam-Alaikum,
Ibraheem Bin Jabbar