APNU will remove all impediments to national unity – Harmon

APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon

Reinforcing A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) commitment to national unity was the coalition’s General Secretary, Joseph Harmon yesterday in the studio of CNS Channel Six. On the televised programme, Harmon told media operatives that APNU wants to renew its resolve to continue its work to achieve national unity in Guyana. He said that his party believes that a government of national unity is the first step in realizing the vision of an inclusive, just and equitable society. Harmon asserted that the economic, social and psychological benefits will be numerous and such a government will enable the Guyanese society to attain its full potential. The General Secretary posited that it will unleash a drive for all Guyanese and release the energies of investors, both local and foreign, and even the skilled and unskilled labour force. The lawyer said that the APNU has never ceased to pursue the ideal of national unity but has only sought to avoid superficial solutions which do not involve the masses of the people and which do not resolve the deep seated prejudices which impede national unity. He said that the partnership is guided by the sage warning that an understanding or compromise between leaders is no guarantee of unity amongst the rank and file unless there is a serious and honest attempt to spread the message of unity further downwards. Each group, Harmon emphasized, as a condition of support, will look at its leaders to further its own narrow cause, no matter how unreasonable it may be in the context of the national cause and interest. However, Harmon said that APNU recognizes that the political, economic and social situation in Guyana has changed over the years but the need for national unity still persists. “Our multi-party partnership, we believe, allows us the best means of achieving national unity. This is the grand mission of APNU,” the politician stated. The General Secretary said, too that APNU is cognizant of the historical damage that racial hatred and political prejudice has wrought and the coalition respects the right of every ethnic, religious and social group. APNU, he said, will certainly not relent in its endeavor to remove all impediments to national unity. Supporting Harmon’s statements was Geoffrey Sankies, a senior member of the Justice For All Party (JFAP). He was in the company of recently returned JFAP Executive Member to APNU, Jaipaul Sharma. Sankees said that JFAP is committed to the vision of a Guyana in which all citizens can live productive lives free from poverty, hunger and political or racial discrimination. He said that JFAP which is a member of APNU is committed to seeing a Guyana where people are safe in their homes and in their communities and are able to enjoy the benefits of political, social and cultural liberation. “JFAP has always stood up for the disenfranchised, the under-dogs and the people that have been discriminated by this PPP regime. We will continue to do so…We remain committed to our constituents and committed to the removal of the PPP/C and we strongly believe that being a partner in APNU makes that possible at the upcoming General and Regional elections,” he added. As it relates to APNU’s discussions with the Alliance For Change (AFC), Harmon reminded that those negotiations are subject to a Non-Disclosure Agreement which was signed by both parties. As for the role JFAP will be playing in the partnership, Harmon said, “We don’t have a little partner and a big partner…in the way we conduct business in the partnership, we have a leadership council made up of the political parties and other organizations which support us and subscribe to our statement of principle. Then there is the executive level which is the decision making forum and all of our partners sit and have an equal say in what we are doing so that is how we arrive at decisions.” He emphasized that the Justice For All Party is considered an equal party. Sharma in adding his view said that his party is always given a fair chance to express its opinion on matters and it is always a transparent process in APNU.

Churches can lead the way in racial and national unity

Dear Editor, In the Will Smith movie, “The Pursuit of Happiness,” Will’s son in the movie told the story: There was a man who was drowning, and a boat came, and the man on the boat said, “Do you need help?” and the drowning man said “No, God will save me.” Then another boat came and he tried to help him, but he said “No, God will save me,” then he drowned and went to Heaven. Then the man asked God, “God, why didn’t you save me?” and God said, “I sent you two boats, you dummy!”

In 2011, Guyana entered into a political impasse.  The government became a minority government and instead of getting the message of the electorate that the electorate wants the parties to work together, the government in power for 23 years, continued with more of the same.

Every new day revealed a new scandal, secret deal, or episodes of the “Fleecing of Guyana.” Instead of listening, the government’s counteroffensive accused the APNU and AFC of “obstructing” progress. The combined opposition said it’s not against progress, it’s against scams, secret deals and lack of accountability, and that it would not support projects until there is full disclosure.

The Opposition won credibility by exposing the Amalia scams, the Surendra scams, the fiber optic problems, the Marriott scams, the Skeldon factory scams, and problems in the laptop program.  It was clear the Opposition was looking out for the interests of Guyana and not simply wanting to stop development. That’s the accountability we want as a poor nation.

Many in our churches have prayed for Guyana for decades that our country will move forward as one people, one nation, and one destiny. Since democracy was restored in 1992, despite some progress, we have not entered into the fullness of our blessings. Our people still flee to tiny Caribbean islands with virtually no natural resources eking out a living. To those of you who have been praying, God has sent us two ships – The APNU and the AFC.  They are sailing as one Coalition force. Please do not let Guyana die. In the life of nations, there are critical moments, and in Guyana, this is one such moment. Never before have we had two parties willing to risk so much in forming a Coalition so that Guyana can move forward as a nation. We are at a tipping point. All the churches in Guyana need to seize this moment in time and take a position.  Now is not the time for pseudo neutrality.  I call on all churches – all the historic churches, the Lifespring Ministries, the Assembly of God, the Full Gospel Fellowship, and other Pentecostal and evangelical churches to hold national unity prayer meetings and consider Guyana’s future. I also invite our brothers and sisters in the temples and mosques to do the same. As religious people of faith, we are driven by values of love and forgiveness.

  We do not hold anger, envy and bitterness in our hearts, or else we will never heal. We do not drive by looking in the rear view mirror all the time; we look forward in faith, and hope. Forgetting those things which are behind, we press towards the mark of something new, something better and different. We are led by our faith, not by our fears. In 1992, we were ready for a change, and the mood of the nation in 2015 is the same. Let’s pray and work for change. Guyana’s salvation is at hand. The people in the churches can lead the way in racial and national unity. Dr. Jerry Jailall

Right now, it's the minority corrupt PPP that has been running a dictatorship over the majority.

The PPP knows that Unity of the races will be its death and so it will fight to the bitter end to remain viable and will use its Agents Provocateur to stir up violence.

February 16, 2015 10:54 AM

AFC's platform for National Healing : http://afcguyana.com/afcnew/wp...t/uploads/ap2web.pdf

The only chance of unity is a vote for APNU.

COMING SOON ON MAY,11 2015 HISTORY

WILL BE RECORDED FOR THE FIST TIME

GUYANA WILL HAVE A NATIONAL UNITY

GOVERNMENT.

19 DAYS TO GO

TUNE IN FOR THIS HISTORIC EVENT

Agree with Django.  History in the making, and I will be there to help and see it.

Roopnarine was the PNC previous hope, but we know how that turned out.Now they pinning their hopes on Moses. It will be 40 years before that pay off. I wish you guys and gals do stick around. That would be around 2055.

The AFC brought 7 seats into the Coalition.  Roopnarine did not have a constituency.

Moses is a long time freedom fighter.

When he came in, the PPP kept losing, and we expect that trend to continue.

So keep whistling loudly while you pass the cemetery.

Good for you Jay,can we depend on you for live feed on GNI.

I will look at the feasibility of that.  Will do, if possible.

I get into Guyana May 1.