The allegation is being made by former AFC Executive Member, Dr Asquith Rose, who, in a letter to Guyana Times, noted that this has been ongoing for the past seven years.

– Ramjattan accused of condoning financier’s excesses

A major power struggle is allegedly ongoing within the Alliance For Change (AFC) as its Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, continues to allegedly undermine the other Executive Members for the sake of its powerful financier, who reportedly provides a cheque of US$200,000 yearly to the party.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

Sasenarine singh

AFC Executive Member Dr Asquith Rose

The allegation is being made by former AFC Executive Member, Dr Asquith Rose, who, in a letter to Guyana Times, noted that this has been ongoing for the past seven years.

According to the former member, the AFC leadership has allowed the financier, Sasenarine Singh, to dictate not only the party’s politics but to determine who should be members.

“At present, there is a major power struggle between the AFC phantom groups in North America because of this individual who wants to dictate to the groups and those who disagree with him are banned for life from the AFC,” Dr Rose alleged.
He explained that as a consequence of the significant contribution by Singh to the party, Ramjattan has taken a conscious decision to allow him to do as he pleased.

“In July 2013, the Leader of the AFC told the Queens New York group that it is an independent organisation, but changed his mind after the AFC financier threatened to resign from the party,” he further alleged.

Dr Rose provided a copy of the correspondence between Singh and Ramjattan which corroborated his claims.

In the letter, Ramjattan backpedalled on his words by assuring Singh that the particular AFC grouping is divided into two chapters: the Queens chapter and the New Jersey chapter.

“Mr Ramjattan has reneged on his statement which has placed the AFC in turmoil. He has told several members of the AFC that the financier is worth more than all the members of the party because of his money,” Dr Rose claimed.

Dr Rose further claimed: “In 2012, the AFC Leader presided over a meeting in New York and allowed the AFC financier to ban two members for life from the party based only on the financier’s side of the story. The two persons were not asked to present their side at the clannish family picnic. What a lawyer! A few days ago, the same financier again banned two other persons using the same clannish method at his family picnic and the Leader accepted his decision. Is this a leader?”

The former member noted that the AFC was in serious trouble and the only way it could remain relevant on the political scene was if it stayed with its current coalition partner – the A Partnership for National Unity.

“…or else it will become like the defunct UF which was in a coalition earlier. Also, no third party has survived more than three election cycles in Guyana. The AFC is at this stage now, so to all and sundry, do not waste any more time with this fledging small third party. It will implode very soon,” Dr Rose predicted.

In justifying his statements, Dr Rose highlighted the manner in which the party completely discarded its Executive Member, Dr Veersammy Ramayya, who had to resort to a public denouncement before the party acknowledged his efforts.

“Just look at how the AFC treated its most senior member on the Corentyne, Mr Ramayya who had to threaten to resign from the AFC before they recognised him. If the AFC could act so selfish and disrespectful to this individual, then the other members who are of less standing in the AFC are doomed,” Dr Rose posited.

Guyana Times placed several calls to the mobile phones of Ramjattan and Executive Members Moses Nagamootoo, David Patterson, and Dominic Gaskin, but all went unanswered and were not returned.