Moses Nagamootoo will be on the Alliance For Change’s (AFC) list of candidates along with former TUF presidential candidate Valerie Garrido-Lowe.
AFC presidential candidate Khemraj Ramjattan yesterday confirmed the addition of Nagamootoo to the party’s list of candidates, which will be submitted to the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) today at City Hall. Ramjattan indicated that Nagamootoo’s decision to join the AFC was made late Tuesday night.
Nagamootoo, a long standing member of the PPP, officially resigned from the ruling party on Monday, saying that he had lost faith in its current leadership which had departed from late president Cheddi Jagan’s vision of being “lean and clean.”
Contacted yesterday, a guarded Nagamootoo said he did not wish to reveal too much too soon. He, however, indicated that “tomorrow [today] the light of Diwali will illuminate the political platform.” The AFC has been actively pursuing Nagamootoo since 2006 and the AFC leader Raphael Trotman had indicated to this newspaper recently that Nagamootoo would have a “high place” should he accept the party’s proposal. Nagamootoo, Trotman said, could contribute to policy and social development in Guyana.
When questioned about his political future on Monday, Nagamootoo indicated a desire to work towards a government of national unity. “I am not done. This is a new beginning and I am open because I have always been committed to the formation in this country of broad coalitions that work for common goals. And I believe that someday, this country will see and must see a government of national unity,” he said. Nagamootoo’s relatives at his home village of Whim, Corentyne Berbice have been campaigning for the AFC.
Meanwhile, the AFC, in a release, yesterday indicated that TUF, under the leadership of Valerie Garrido-Lowe, has joined the party and they will be contesting as a united alliance. The AFC indicated that the decision was made at an executive meeting held on Saturday and was finalised at a “high level meeting” held at the AFC headquarters on Tuesday evening. TUF has been bitterly divided over the past two weeks, with two factions arising in the party; one led by Valerie Garrido-Lowe and the other by Labour Minister and former leader Manzoor Nadir.
However, late yesterday afternoon a release from the executive members of The United Force said that it had not joined the AFC and indicated that it will be contesting these elections “with a full slate of candidates.” The release said it had decided on a presidential candidate, who is a prominent member of civil society.
“We emphatically state that Ms Valerie Garrido-Lowe has been expelled from The United Force as a member, leader and presidential candidate,” the release said, pointing to the injunction that Lowe had brought against members of the executive which was recently dismissed by the Full Court. The executive said that this cleared the way for the decision taken by TUF members to expel Garrido-Lowe and to prevent her from representing TUF in any capacity.
“Ms. Garrido-Lowe has no authority to carry TUF into any arrangement with any group,” the statement said, while adding that in May this year the party’s membership passed a resolution to contest these elections independently.
When contacted, Garrido-Lowe told Stabroek News that she was not perturbed by the other faction. “That court matter will go on but nothing will stop us, TUF supporters are behind us,” she said. “Manzoor Nadir and his team are doing what they have to do but we have people’s lives and futures to consider and take into account.” She added that “people’s lives cannot be toyed with,” while noting that persons have a choice in that “if you sign onto Nadir it’s the PPP or with us it’s TUF.”
Elaborating on her move, Garrido-Lowe said she and her backers recognize the AFC as the only party which has sound policies which are similar to those of TUF. She said she and her supporters—the majority of the executive of the party—met recently and after discussing the idea, decided to align with the AFC. She said she did not “sell them the idea …they have been telling us and suggesting that we work along with another group,” and she noted that the AFC was the better option in that regard.
The move, Garrido–Lowe added, was not one which was made at the “last minute. What has happened is that after listening to our constituents in all the regions, they have been hearing that yes the party [TUF] should go alone to the polls and it’s a noble thing but we as a party have gone through so much,” she said.
Meanwhile, the AFC will be assembling at Parade Ground today and will be departing for City Hall at 1.30 pm. After the submission of the lists, the party will return to Parade Ground at 4 pm, where it will have a rally. Among the speakers are Ramjattan, Trotman, Nagamootoo, Nigel Hughes and Cathy Hughes.
