APNU-AFC Presidential Candidate David Granger

APNU/AFC coalition launch:

… Jeffrey, Gaskin

Dr Henry Jeffery, former Government Minister and now a political commentator said the “grand” launch of the A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance For Change (APNU-AFC) campaign on Wednesday was “full of fluff and no substance”.

He said the speakers provided little information on what they plan to offer to the country.

Jeffery explained that while the coalition has promised its supporters better living conditions, reduced crime rates and improved education, they have constantly failed to provide details on how they intend achieve those objectives.

Political commentator Dr Henry Jeffery

“They put out a plan that’s not detailed and that’s unacceptable,” Dr Jeffery firmly stated.

He reiterated that the party members should be able to provide facts when presenting themselves as a party of national unity instead of leaving the general populace and their supporters in the dark about the plans for the future.

“They are not saying anything. They are basically opening the door for the PPP/C [Peoples Progressive Party Civic],” he lamented. Jeffery said that the two parties had a great opportunity to lay their plans for Guyana when they captured the entire nation’s attention with the announcement of the coalition, but instead, opted to declare various party members’ positions in the coalition and what each party would gain rather than their specific position on developing the country.

Another political commentator Ramon Gaskin has also expressed his deep disappointment with the heavy focus on positions, rather than policies.

According to Gaskin, despite the fact that the two parties have been preaching that they wish to see a Government of national unity and wanted what was best for Guyanese society, this was not reflected during or after their dialogue.

He said it would appear that the political parties were only fighting for positions and their piece of the ‘meat’.

Political commentator Ramon Gaskin

“I noticed that in the coalition talks, they were only talking about who gets what and what goes to whom.

“I am very disappointed with that because in the entire discussions, all they could have said was that this goes to that person, he gets that, she gets this and nothing is said about the needs of the Guyanese people,” Gaskin said.

He noted that it would appear to him that the two political parties seem to have the procedure all wrong and had placed self-interest first, as he strongly believes that a programme or agenda on the needs of the Guyanese should have first been worked out, before positions and leadership were discussed.

He also pointed out that the coalition never disclosed any extensive information on what direction they would take the country as it relates to one crucial element: energy.

The Opposition during the 10th Parliament had blocked the Amaila Falls Hydro Energy Project. (AFHEP)

Jeffery expressed his agreement the APNU-AFC Presidential Candidate David Granger’s cries about an unhappy Guyana. “People are always unhappy with politicians,” he pointed out. Nonetheless, he noted that “unhappiness does not translate to votes”.

APNU-AFC Prime Ministerial Candidate Moses Nagamootoo

He speculated if the coalition gets into power, his supporters will too become unhappy with them in at least six months. Jeffery said he is optimistic about the coalition, but is disappointed that the politicians failed to present themselves as the winning ticket for a better Guyana.

The newly formed coalition had its official elections campaign launch on Wednesday at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

Contrary to what Jeffery had hoped for, the speakers spoke about the new life the coalition offers in broad generalities without presenting facts. In fact, Granger opted to blame the incumbent administration for the present living conditions in Guyana and to make expansive, extravagant promises.

“The PPP/C has dragged us to the very pit of the human development index.” Granger went on to make promises about a better Guyana.

“The coalition will give Guyanese an education system that will produce citizens of quality who will be happy, employment opportunities, a security policy that protects our citizens and our territory,” he said.

Prime Ministerial Candidate of the coalition Moses Nagamootoo, at one time alluded to his biblical namesake, and declared May 11, the date for General and Regional Elections in Guyana as the day of “deliverance” for the country.

But later he switched allusions to declare he was one of the “Three Musketeers”.

Guyana National Youth Council (GNYC) representatives meeting with GECOM officials last week Thursday. In photo also is Head of USAID Guyana Glenn Bradbury and GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally

.. IRI claims all parties on board

The Guyana National Youth Council (GNYC) has asserted that its membership consists of persons from across the diverse political spectrum and has taken umbrage against the recent comments about its bona fides by the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and its youth arm the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO).

However, the PYO has distanced itself from the group and has called on them to provide the names of its members who are part of the GNYC.

The PYO and the PPP/C had pointed out that the GNYC is affiliated with the Opposition parties and was using their partnership with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to secure executive power.

“The PYO believes that the GNYC has deeply rooted political interests and affiliations to Opposition groups in our society which are trying desperately to access executive power through dubious means,” the organisation said.

Additionally, Clement Rohee, General Secretary of the PPP/C had said that the organisation claiming to represent Guyana’s youth has no authority to do so.

“As far as the PPP/C is concerned this youth grouping is a creature of external interference through the US LEAD (Leadership and Democracy) Project and is nothing more than a group of partisan persons who are attempting to hijack the name Guyana National Youth council,” he said.

GNYC has partnered with GECOM with the aim of implementing a national voter education campaign for the upcoming General and Regional Elections. The PYO has since been calling on GECOM to break its formal arrangement with the GNYC.

As far as the PPP/C is concerned, this youth grouping is a creature of external interference through the LEAD Project and is nothing more than partisan persons who are attempting to hijack the name Guyana National Youth Council,” stated Rohee.

In North Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Honduras and Venezuela, the International Republical Institute (IRI) has worked through youth groups tilted to the Opposition to effect regime change.

Rohee said the decision to engage the GNYC in getting more youths to vote was not made by the seven Commissionere at GECOM, and as such steps should be taken to have the “imposition” on the electorate of Guyana addressed.

“This matter was never under discussion by the GECOM. The PPP/C rejects this and the imposition on the electorate. The matter should be brought to the highest level for review and discussions. We are concerned that officials at GECOM have entered into a formal relationship with this body,’ he said.

In an invited comment, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the GNYC Tiffany Daniels noted that the actions taken by the PPP/C and PYO are uncalled for. She reiterated that the Council consists of members from the People’s  National Congress/Reform (PNC/R), Alliance For Change (AFC) and PPP/C youth groups.

“We have members from all political parties,” Daniels asserted. In response to the PYO’s call for clarity on the selection of members for the GNYC, Daniels stated that when the selection process was ongoing, the PYO showed up for one meeting and never returned. “Consequently, only individual members of the PYO became members of the GNYC whereas, the PNCR and AFC youth groups are on board the membership,” she said.

Will not disclose

When prompted for statistics on the distribution, Daniels said she is not at liberty to disclose that information.

“The GNYC will not release its members personal details, political affiliations, or otherwise,” she asserted.

Daniels also denied being affiliated with the PNCR youth group. “I have never been a part of any political group,” she said.

The voter education campaign is to encourage youth participation and to provide spaces for young people to engage with all political parties, as well as GECOM, with a view of understanding the mandates of all parties, the voting processes, and the right of young Guyanese to participate in processes that impact on the development of Guyana.

The GNYC, via a press release, highlighted the importance of young people’s participation in the political process.

 “The methods through which society educates them about their roles and responsibilities as active citizens are therefore critical. Nurturing a sense of citizenship is fundamental to building sustainable democracies and the GNYC hopes to continue to encourage this through our work,” the release said.

The PYO said GNYC will abuse their power to secure executive control for the Opposition, but Daniels claimed that the Council cannot conduct or perform any related activity without GECOM’s presence. “They have to be present to make sure we are not biased,” she asserted.

The GNYC is non-governmental organisation (NGO) established in September 2014 after consultations with youths and youth serving entities which began in early 2013.

Daniels said the organisation does not have a firm organisational structure. She explained that, since they are still in the process of recruiting people, the Board of Trustees has decided to wait until International Youth Day on August 12, to elect executive members for the Council.

But the PYO said it is illegal for a registered body to operate without a properly constituted board and executive.

“The fact that the GNYC turned out to have no structure is consistent with what the PYO and the PPP/C have been saying,” an official of the PYO said in an invited comment.

Further, the official said that “it shows that the entire organisation has serious problems”.

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