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Former Member

AFC compromised by ROAR influx

May 26, 2011

THE Alliance for Change (AFC) emerged on the political scene as the supposed ‘third force’ in Guyana’s politics. The party’s leaders boasted of change, accountability, equality among Guyanese, and ethnic harmony, with particular emphasis on countering African marginalization. Now, it seems that it is the property of Guyana’s politics, with no specific vision for party victory, or, for improvement in Guyana. I say this, because, all the key members of the AFC, are former members of the two major political parties in Guyana. Also, the AFC is now infested with former ROAR members. All Guyanese know what ROAR represented in Guyana’s politics, and all Guyanese know of Ravi Dev, and the role he played as leader of the ROAR party.
Ravi Dev and his party, ROAR, believed, whole-heartedly, in protecting and promoting Indian interests ahead of African interests. With Khemraj Ramjattan as the presidential candidate for the AFC, and their alarming recent infestation of former ROAR members that have now joined the party, the AFC must explain to the Guyanese people, whether their original party vision and goals have changed, as a result of this influx.
ROAR represented an evil that Guyanese have thoroughly washed their hands of. The Guyanese people want no relations with that party, or any association with its politics of Indian supremacy. The ROAR refugees have found a safe haven in the AFC, but it seems that they have distorted the image of the party, and compromised everything that that party once stood for. Do these former ROAR members still hold dear, those core values that defined and characterised them as ROAR members? If this is the case, the AFC is contaminated, because they have not rid themselves of this flawed ideology. The AFC has indeed been compromised by this ROAR infestation.

http://guyanachronicle.com/afc...ised-by-roar-influx/

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Former Member

I want to share and further explore my suspicion that the so-called "Indian swing vote", "Nagamootoo 2011 Indians", or the "anti-PPP Indian undecideds" are all more accurately described as ROAR Indians.

That these Indians are the electorate's most anti-PPP Indians is beyond question. Also, their hatred of the PPP can be summed up as their belief that the PPP is not pro-Indian enough.

These Indian voters never disappeared. They and their leadership migrated to the AFC. Evidence Dr. Ramayaa and other ROAR activists went AFC. Many of the strongest non-Moses/Khemraj Indian leadership of the AFC leadership is former ROAR. The johnny come lately Jaganites are just the more visible and talked about moutar AFC Indians.

The implications of this is profound for the result of the upcoming election. The Party that speaks to these Indians will carry the day. As of today, they are going to grudgingly vote PPP unless the Coalition dramatically talks to them in plain simple unabashedly INDIAN language. Knowing Nagamootoo and his intellectual framework, he is not up to the task even if he was so inclined (which he is not).

3/8/157:27 AM

seignetSenior Member

Huh!

3/8/158:41 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by seignet:

Huh!

Is that a question or a remark?

Am I to gather that you do not understand my posting? I thought I was pretty straightforward.

3/8/158:56 AM

Ramakant-PSenior Member

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by seignet:

Huh!

Is that a question or a remark?

Am I to gather that you do not understand my posting? I thought I was pretty straightforward.

He simply does not understand your premise.

3/8/159:12 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by seignet:

Huh!

Is that a question or a remark?

Am I to gather that you do not understand my posting? I thought I was pretty straightforward.

He simply does not understand your premise.

I'm curious bai...What does Uncle Rama think of my analysis?

3/8/159:14 AM

Ramakant-PSenior Member

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by seignet:

Huh!

Is that a question or a remark?

Am I to gather that you do not understand my posting? I thought I was pretty straightforward.

He simply does not understand your premise.

I'm curious bai...What does Uncle Rama think of my analysis?

Excellent!

3/8/159:25 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by seignet:

Huh!

Is that a question or a remark?

Am I to gather that you do not understand my posting? I thought I was pretty straightforward.

He simply does not understand your premise.

I'm curious bai...What does Uncle Rama think of my analysis?

Excellent!

Are you just saying that because I offered a narrative that leads to a PPP victory?

Why do you agree with me?

3/8/159:32 AM

Former Member

Yea Ravi working big time for PPP these days.

3/8/159:33 AM

Ramakant-PSenior Member

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by seignet:

Huh!

Is that a question or a remark?

Am I to gather that you do not understand my posting? I thought I was pretty straightforward.

He simply does not understand your premise.

I'm curious bai...What does Uncle Rama think of my analysis?

Excellent!

Are you just saying that because I offered a narrative that leads to a PPP victory?

Why do you agree with me?

I don't know who you are, but I have the Impression that you are an intelligent person with the ability to propose and oppose which ever is right.

3/8/159:35 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by TK:

Yea Ravi working big time for PPP these days.

If Ravi can be bought then so can anyone else. Unless he was always no more than a two bit hustler.

What do you think of my proposition that we are not dealing with "Nagamootoo's Indians" but more accurately "ROAR's Indians"?

3/8/159:41 AM

Ramakant-PSenior Member

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by TK:

Yea Ravi working big time for PPP these days.

If Ravi can be bought then so can anyone else. Unless he was always no more than a two bit hustler.

What do you think of my proposition that we are not dealing with "Nagamootoo's Indians" but more accurately "ROAR's Indians"?

ROAR Indians were more cultural than political. caribj said it right. In the end they will vote for the PPP/C. ROAR Indians were interested in the IAD than anything else. Ravi Dev misinterpreted their sentiments.

3/8/159:47 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by TK:

Yea Ravi working big time for PPP these days.

If Ravi can be bought then so can anyone else. Unless he was always no more than a two bit hustler.

What do you think of my proposition that we are not dealing with "Nagamootoo's Indians" but more accurately "ROAR's Indians"?

You are wrong. I happen to have family that are ROAR Indians and I did extensive yeoman work for ROAR both here and in Guyana.

They are very political. Probably the most political of all the Indos.

Ravi did not misinterpret their sentiments. He misinterpreted their electoral behavior. He wrongly calculated that the more anti-Indian the PNC was the more likely the Indians would be to vote ROAR. That was wrong. Anti-Indian violence only helps the PPP. Indians are only willing to vote for a third party when there is no violence. Notice that the Indians dealt the PPP a minority Government in 2011, the first election following the first election free of anti-Indian PNC violence?

The smart thing for the PNC to do was to keep the quiet and muzzle its mad dogs so that an Indo third party (like the AFC) can do the work of dealing the fatal blow to the PPP (which I suspect could have occurred as early as 2015 or 2020 at the latest). This ill-thought out Coalition has ironically given the PPP a life raft from being knifed to the Opposition benches by the ROAR Indians. This was a mad rush to stab the fatal wound into the PPP neck will fall short because they neglected the middle stage of getting close enough to said neck to be within appropriate stabbing reach.

3/8/159:57 AM

Former Member

Under Granger, the PNC is much more moderate. The terrorist wing that loves street protests (Hinds, Bond, Sharma, Norton, Kissoon, etc.) are under wraps.

When the PPP continues to ignore parliamentary scrutiny and refuses to provide answers on all the secret deals, street action would be a legitimate last resort.

I really do think the Coalition will change the political culture. Moses and Ramjattan will make that happen.

3/8/1510:14 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Jay Bharrat:

Under Granger, the PNC is much more moderate. The terrorist wing that loves street protests (Hinds, Bond, Sharma, Norton, Kissoon, etc.) are under wraps.

When the PPP continues to ignore parliamentary scrutiny and refuses to provide answers on all the secret deals, street action would be a legitimate last resort.

I really do think the Coalition will change the political culture. Moses and Ramjattan will make that happen.

Couple tings here chap.

1. I'm sure you can go and try and sell a "moderate" PNC that hasn't beaten or killed any coolie lately. Try wid duh.

2. The PPP loves "street action." Nothing so warms the heart of Freedom House than pics of unruly Black mobs.

3. Indians either doan like or care for Ramjattan or Moses. I doan know what gives you all the impression Indian people like these two? The fact that you Jaganites see them as your ticket to government is no accurate measure of the feelings and esteem of the ordinary Indian for these two gentlemen. You are all suffering from a serious case of mass delusion.

3/8/1510:19 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

That these Indians are the electorate's most anti-PPP Indians is beyond question. Also, their hatred of the PPP can be summed up as their belief that the PPP is not pro-Indian enough.

The AFC is not ROAR vintage by any measure. The AFC has recently taken to Constitution reform. I use to goad them on this in 2006. The absence of any hint that they need to get rid of it was for all intents and dead. They believed straight up that there was a place for rational choice that overcomes nepotism over merit and race over multiculturalism. Even Now there is not a hint of ROAR's agenda anywhere even if the people from the bottom rung of ROAR moved over.

3/8/1511:31 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Stormborn:

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

That these Indians are the electorate's most anti-PPP Indians is beyond question. Also, their hatred of the PPP can be summed up as their belief that the PPP is not pro-Indian enough.

I think you missed my point totally. I'm not talking about ROAR manifesto stuff like federalism or any ROAR specific agenda etc. etc. I mean broadly anti PPP grassroots Indians who feel neglected or used by the PPP.

I'm pointing to the fact that the same Indian vein of dissatisfaction on the electoral rolls tapped by ROAR (not just in votes but also public support) has crossed over to the AFC. These anti PPP Indians went ROAR then went AFC and now may very well determine the election.

3/8/1511:38 AM

Former Member

THE CONSTITUENCY THAT WILL DECIDE THE ELECTIONS

April 23, 2015 | By KNews | Filed Under Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom, Source

A cat and mouse game is being played out between the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) and the opposition coalition APNU+AFC. Both sides seem to be waiting on each other to make the first move when it comes to releasing their manifestos.

There are many who feel that the manifestos of the parties will be of little relevance to these elections. They contend that other more important issues such as corruption and cronyism should be enough to end the PPPC’s tenure in office.

“Should”, however, does not mean “would”. Corruption was one of the main opposition platforms in the 2011 elections. It did not bring them the success they anticipated.

The gains that the AFC made in 2011 into PPP strongholds in Berbice had nothing to do with public corruption. It had to do with the neglect by the ruling party of its constituents, a situation that it has since sought to correct.

The success of the AFC also had to do with the legwork done by former activists of ROAR who after that party dissolved went across to the AFC. Those activists swung a great many votes the AFC’s way. That is not going to happen again this election because those activists were not rewarded with a single seat in the last parliament. Most have since deserted the AFC.

The extra votes, in fact the impressive but highly suspicious growth in APNU’s support in Region Four- APNU surprisingly increased its tally in that Region by some 16,000 votes- had everything to do with the outrage that the supporters of the PNC felt when they saw a photograph of a mansion owned by a top wig of the PPP.

That mansion galvanized support for APNU from those within the PNCR who had deserted the party in the 2006 elections when it only garnered a disappointing 33 per cent of the polls.

But that mansion is not going to be an issue this time around because APNU’s support peaked during the last elections. This is why they have gambled on an alliance with the AFC. If APNU was of the view that it could increase its tally of votes to 44 per cent as it did in 1992, it would have not coalesced with the AFC but instead would have allowed the AFC to cut further into the PPPC support base thus allowing the PPPC to lose the four or five percentage points needed to fall below APNU’s projected 44 per cent.

In fact, there are some folks who feel that from the point of view of tactics that APNU has blundered. They feel that it would have been easier for APNU to have increased its take to 45 per cent and allow the AFC to decrease the PPPC core base to 42 per cent thus allowing APNU to win the presidency with the AFC holding the balance of power.

But APNU no doubt feels that it peaked in 2011 and therefore it is not likely to surpass the 40-odd percentage that it secured in those polls.

Corruption and mansions are not going to swing votes the opposition’s way in 2015.

The one thing that is likely to swing votes the coalition’s way is what is special interests and niches with the electorate.

In the 2011 polls, APNU dedicated some attention to youths, an important segment of the electorate. That however did not bring them any big swing in terms of overall support. This time, APNU is again differentiating the electorate and targeting youths. The response to two youth rallies held so far by the APNU+ AFC coalition has not been impressive.

The other important segment that APNU is targeting is women. But women have traditionally been in the forefront of the activities of the political parties. Voter turnout amongst women has always been believed to be higher than that for men.

APNU is therefore making a pitch to the converted and committed. It is not a segment that is therefore likely to bring the coalition additional votes this election.

The one segment that APNU+AFC has so far failed to target is the emerging middle class. This class is growing each year. Both APNU and the AFC have however stuck their heads in the sands and refused to concede that there is a growing middle class which is going to be an important constituency in this year’s elections.

They have refused to do so because implicit in doing so is to admit that there has been significant economic progress under the PPP, thus explaining the growth of the middle class.

The upper lower class is now creeping to middle class status. It is this segment of the electorate that can decide the outcome of the elections, not the youth or women.

This is the educated class. This is the class that is an emerging propertied class. It is a class that is not going to be moved by fear or simply by the call for change. This is the class that will only be moved by policies and this where the manifestos of the parties come in.

The longer APNU+AFC delay in releasing its manifesto, the less time they will have to lure this segment which is so critical to the outcome of the elections.

4/23/153:07 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Originally Posted by TK:

Yea Ravi working big time for PPP these days.

If Ravi can be bought then so can anyone else. Unless he was always no more than a two bit hustler.

What do you think of my proposition that we are not dealing with "Nagamootoo's Indians" but more accurately "ROAR's Indians"?

You are wrong. I happen to have family that are ROAR Indians and I did extensive yeoman work for ROAR both here and in Guyana.

They are very political. Probably the most political of all the Indos.

Indian will only vote for a 3rd party if the risk of the PNC being the benefactor has been mitigated. Tough scenario to realize.

4/23/157:00 AM

Former Member

This is ROAR former LEADER in the Press today.

Dr Ramsaran should resign, or be fired

Posted By Staff Writer On April 23, 2015 @ 5:06 am In Letters | No Comments

Dear Editor,

General elections are exciting but troubling times in this young Guyanese nation. The electoral campaign has the tendency of bringing out the very worst primordial sentiments in the protagonists whose ultimate goal is to promise the world to the electorate and to win the race by garnering the majority votes. Even more so, in a critical election like this one when the two main political parties seem to have an equal chance at capturing the seat of power. We have grown accustomed, unfortunately, to the ethnic divide that brings out the worse in some of us, and many expect nothing more than an electoral result that will again be reflective of our ethnic/racial divide and bifurcated society.

However, what is particularly disturbing about this election campaign is the vitriol and the no holds barred political jargon that are attributed to the key players in this electoral race. Unflattering remarks made by politicians caught on an open microphone is one thing, and what people say and discuss in the confines of their private space is another. However, if what has been reported in the Guyana dailies is true regarding the statements attributed to the Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, towards a young lady, in the presence of others, at the Whim Magistrate’s Court, then it is particularly disturbing, and disgusting. The long-serving Minister should know better. Politicians, as they say, “have thick skins” and are expected to be prepared for anything. His deportment makes him unfit to serve the Guyanese people (particularly women who make up 50% of the population). This statement is coming at a time when the PPP/C, as well as APNU/AFC, are both attempting to impress upon the Guyanese people their genuine concern for oppressed women and women’s rights.

It is heartening to note that the Prime Ministerial candidate, Elisabeth Harper, has quickly, and roundly condemned the Minister’s statements. Kudos to her. That in itself, however, is not nearly enough. The Minister should be relieved of his portfolio or the Minister should resign on his own volition. Donald Ramotar should do the right thing, for the good of society. If he is ambivalent, he should note this: His action might very well give a much-needed boost to his political campaign and it will clearly demonstrate his party’s genuine contempt for and opposition to individuals or statements that belittle women in our society

Yours faithfully,
Dr. Baytoram Ramharack

Article printed from Stabroek News: http://www.stabroeknews.com

URL to article: http://www.stabroeknews.com/20...-resign-or-be-fired/

Click here to print.

4/23/157:09 AM

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AFC compromised by ROAR influx

THE CONSTITUENCY THAT WILL DECIDE THE ELECTIONS

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