AFC leader Raphael Trotman yesterday said a citizen’s initiative to formalise an elections partnership is being taken “very seriously,” while adding that civil society participation could be what is needed to bridge historic political divides.
“Most of what is contained is compatible with what we feel,” Trotman told Stabroek News, referring to the draft protocol put out by the group, whose members described themselves as coming from all races, genders, religions, classes and wage groups as well as political parties. “It gives us a great sense of hope,” he said.
The draft protocol released by the group is intended to formalise an elections partnership. Members of the group said they were all united by their commitment to improve the standards of political behaviour, public dealings, social discourse, transparency and accountability. Among the guiding principles proposed in the draft protocol are that the interests of the Guyanese people as a whole shall be paramount at all times and deliberation on matters of race, ethnicity, gender, religion or status shall always support and further the application of this principle. It also noted that in contemplating the most appropriate model for the future management of the country’s affairs “account should be taken of experiences of the past 30 years when candidates of both major political parties occupied the office of the Executive President where power is over-centralized.”
Trotman explained that the draft protocol has not been presented to the AFC formally but the party would seek out its authors. He said civil society’s participation could serve to create a platform for unity, since there is still “a lot of old hurts” as well as “suspicions of different persons” among the various parties. He emphasised the distrust that currently exists, while noting that it would continue until the parties can find a way to act together. “I am coming around to the view that we need a bridge… a platform to stand on to bring the country back from the brink,” Trotman said, adding it could allow persons associated with either the PNCR or the PPP to stand with the AFC. “Left alone we are unlikely to achieve it,” he added.
Last Saturday, the AFC’s National Executive Commit-tee (NEC) took a decision that would rule out alliances or partnerships with either the main opposition PNCR or the PPP/C for the 2011 general elections.
Following a meeting to discuss and decide on the matter of alliances and partnership building, the party said that a majority decision was that “the AFC, as early as is possible, proceed to forge alliances with civic society groups, like-minded political entities, and even personalities from both the PPP/C and the PNCR, but not with the PPP/C or the PNCR as political organizations.”
The party said the pre-election exclusion of the two main parties from the process of alliance building and partnership “was in recognition that these two parties are wholly incompatible with the AFC, which is the party of the future; and, that the AFC ultimately will not be able to maintain its identity and core principles if it were to ally with either one of them.”
The decision is being seen as likely scuttling a broad-based opposition partnership to challenge the ruling PPP/C at next year’s polls.
The AFC has set up a four-member team, headed by Vice-Chairperson Sheila Holder and comprising of Dominic Gaskin, Gerhard Ramsaroop, and David Patterson, to engage as soon as possible with like-minded individuals, personalities and entities towards forging alliances. “The NEC agreed to give acknowledgement and due respect to the minority view expressed at the said meeting that the door should not be closed on the possibility of forming alliances with the PPP/C and/or the PNCR,” it added.
The party had recently made it known that it is examining a new proposal for a “grand alliance” of compatible allies to contest next year’s elections that is premised on the idea that coming together is the only option for the country’s survival. It has been circulating a working paper titled “the Pathway to Victory 2011” which argues for a grand alliance and sets out a framework to drive it forward.
The paper proposes an alliance of political parties, civil society groups and individuals who have similar national goals and expectations. “Therefore, the alliance would be built by a coalition of compatible allies, resting on a strong programmatic platform,” it says, adding that each partner can identify and agree on collective critical issues to be addressed in the interest of the people, including “winning the election, and the necessary mechanisms for the implementation of agreed solutions and governance after the elections.”
