Dear Editor,
It was Mother Theresa who said, “We are all called upon to do great things with love.” I submit that to date it is the one thing that has not been tried by the personalities engaged in the old body politic in Guyana, what with the burning of canefields and other injurious acts employed by the PPP while in opposition and the street protests that backfired on the PNC when they claimed ‘agents provocateurs’ infiltrated their protest marches causing additional grievous harm to our ethnocentric society. It is, however, the raison d’être which the AFC embraces in its political work throughout the length and breadth of Guyana because we firmly believe that our people want to live in peace and harmony together. A recent example of this was the distribution of kites to children in disadvantaged communities in all ten regions of the country for Easter.
In case you’re wondering what occasioned this letter, and the quotation featuring the words of Mother Theresa, let me immediately assure you it is because we, in the Alliance For Change (AFC), consider it an enigma to be told we are failing in our mission if we don’t take to the streets to signal to the government in the language of terror that they seem to only comprehend – that their confounded nonsense must stop. We believe the issue is not about the PPP/C or the PNCR but about the Guyanese people, therefore, we will do nothing to cause them more agony! Taking to the streets has done that!
Those of us who work tirelessly in all ten regions of our country, are spreading the message about the hazards of racial politics, poverty and hate that historically have been buttressed by successive PPP/C administrations through the use of bribery, fear and intimidation, respectively, in the Indigenous, Indo, Afro and business communities. It is most disconcerting trying to understand the logic of this approach which, to date, has brought us to this place of infamy in the Caricom region. Many such comments and attacks have been made against the Alliance For Change (AFC) based on its refusal to ‘take to the streets,’ the most recent one comes from Mr Norman Browne stating that “It (the AFC) shies away from identifying in public and street demonstrations as the government gets away with violation after violation.”
In a letter to SN of April 9, captioned ‘2011 is a make or break year for Guyana,’ Mr Browne seems to conclude that since my colleagues – Mr Khemraj Ramjattan, MP, Chairman of the AFC, and Mr Raphael Trotman, MP, Leader, have not led masses of people onto the streets, these gentlemen have demonstrated an inability to handle our politics, are missing out on a golden opportunity to create history in Guyana, and should therefore bow out to allow “a young, vibrant and courageous leader to emerge at the helm of the AFC.”
Wow, what a mouthful! I sense the frustration of Mr Browne.
He is not alone in venting his frustration in this manner, but Mr Browne does Messrs Ramjattan and Trotman a grave injustice considering the sacrifices and hard work they are doing for, and among, the people, courting in the process the wrath of the powers that be as has been demonstrated by the constant focus of the attacks by President Jagdeo.
Let me assure Mr Browne and others of like mind that the work which is being done by AFC’s principals, activists, members and friends since the 2006 national elections, has allowed us to witness first hand the extent to which disillusionment, poverty, joblessness, corruption, unfair treatment, cronyism, discrimination, etc, exist among the Guyanese people. As a result Guyanese have become very distrustful of politicians, our government and our institutions.
We have been working to convince people of every stratum of our society that we understand their feelings, that we in the AFC aim to be different, have a plan to turn around the economy and create jobs so that our bright young people would consider Guyana a viable place for their future economic growth and development while encouraging our diaspora to return, that they, the people have the power through the wise use of the ballot to change the status quo if we in the AFC fail to deliver on our promises. This effort has been progressing steadily, whether in Diamond on the East Bank of the Demerara River, Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast, Orealla up the Corentyne River, the St Francis Mission up the Mahaicony Creek, Kwakwani up the Berbice River, Annai in the Rupununi, Madhia, Moruca or East Canje in Berbice.
Our interaction with the people often leads to pro bono legal action being taken by Messrs Trotman and Ramjattan either on behalf of sugar workers experiencing difficulties getting their NIS benefits because of sloppy record-keeping on the part of Guysuco; representing hire-car drivers and market vendors in difficulties with the administration; or parliamentary representational work to highlight and stop the injustices plaguing our people. Very often we come to the rescue of the poor whose rights are being violated when these matters are told to us while working in Indigenous and other communities. In seeking to empower the people we never fail to tell them that if we in the AFC also fail them when elected, it is their duty to replace us via the ballot box, but until then we reserve the right to reject carrying on our backs the sins of commission and omission of others in the PPP and the PNC.
This is the necessary and, we believe, rewarding work being done by the AFC at the grass roots level. It is by no means sufficient, but we believe we are doing the real work – walking the walk instead of talking the talk. We invite others who are serious about change to lend us a hand.
Yours faithfully,
Sheila Holder
