Guerrilla warfare intensifies inside the AFC
Last year in my Wednesday, August 14, 2019 column captioned; “The pathetic nonsense Granger’s British advisor uttered,” I wrote that the head of the foreign consulting firm advising the PNC on the election campaign; they met with the AFC executive committee.
It made two recommendations to them – do not emphasize Jagdeo’s name in the campaign and that “the AFC must expand as much as possible the image of Granger.”
It would seem that the APNU+AFC strategists have accepted that direction. Since the APNU+AFC‘s campaign started, all the banners and flyers that I have seen, carry the face of Granger.
Right outside my home on the Railway Embankment on the lantern post, there is one such banner. All the posts from UG Road to Conversation Tree Road have these large banners. Now I may be wrong but in Georgetown this is what I am seeing.
It appears that the AFC high command has decided to fight back. I saw an email exchange on the AFC string in which volcanic terms were used to describe the decision by the PNC to allocate only two speaking engagements for Ramjattan from the 16 scheduled big rallies that will culminate on February 29.
The AFC has bought two minibuses and have sprayed them with AFC emblems. Both sides of the bus and the backdoor have the face of Ramjattan only; Granger’s image is not on the bus. These are some of the words on the buses; “Don’t stop the Progress,” and “Khemraj Ramjattan, AFC’s Prime Ministerial candidate.”
I am assuming that these two buses with the visage of Ramjattan is a reaction to the banners carrying Granger’s face only. Given the reduction of post-election power allocations awarded to the AFC should the coalition win in March, there are rising dissentions in the AFC hierarchy. Many factors explain this.
First, the AFC will only get three ministers plus the portfolio of Prime Minister. Secondly, since there are no specific ministries assigned to APNU or AFC, there will be intense jockeying among AFC bigwigs.
Thirdly, the renewed Cummingsburg Accord empowers the president to decide which AFC nominees he will select including the PM. The AFC bigwigs have now positioning themselves to get their individual post-victory benefits, if they win.
On Sunday, I received the following email by AFC executive and head of the USA diaspora for the AFC, Ron Alert, a personal friend. He has asked me to quote him. I have reproduced redacted versions of his email and my reply.
“Freddie, I share your concerns and have expressed them to Khemraj and other AFC members. I was at a Rally in NY at which David Patterson attended. He as well as Joe Harmon spoke at the rally in Brooklyn NY. All the speakers including Patterson spoke of Granger and his team.
What I found reprehensible from the part of Patterson; he did not mention Khemraj’s name not once. Harmon mentioned Khemraj’s name and called him (Khemraj) a (redacted) and that was publicly.
You can quote me. I gave the vote of thanks at the event and the only kind words spoken of Khemraj were from me. Freddie I know you have your issues with Khemraj but this is the time for us, the people who know him best to stand up for him.
This PNC crowd are (sic) lawless and awful characters. I will be in Guyana on the 15th Feb. and I will speak out for your friend and my friend.
Ron
Here is my reply. “Ron, you are my friend. You cannot be serious. This guy is a consummate (redacted). If I stand up for Khemraj, then I will be a bigger (redacted). Khemraj Ramjattan has to officially announce that he is the PM candidate. He has to tell my country folks what is in the Cummingsburg Accord. He has to show me proof that Charran took a bribe or shut his mouth up.
So you say I can quote you. Why if you care so much about Khemraj you do not say publicly that he was called a (redacted).Instead of me quoting you, you can say it yourself publicly. What are you afraid of? I like you as a friend but don’t ever ask me to compromise the essence of my character.
Ramjattan and the AFC have destroyed my country, a country I live in that you don’t. Stay good Ron and let’s stay as good friends. Regards always. Freddie.
PS – Send me Khemraj’s email and I will forward this email to him so he can see what I said about him.