Dear Editor,
Your article, ‘AFC members accuse APNU of hogging LGE seats,’ dampened my entire Easter Monday. Are we about to see history repeat itself? Are we heading down the unwise route of the Burnham administration? Are we witnessing something similar to the United Force (UF) party that was dumped soon after the party was sought for assistance to form a coalition, which helped the PNC to form a government in 1964?
If that were the case, what a terrible gift it will be for Guyana and the Guyanese people as we usher in fifty years of independence. I am old enough to remember what the PNC was forced to do to remain in power without the UF. I thought that strategy was dead and buried along with the bones of the persons who engineered it.
Since the victory of the APNU+AFC at the May 2015 elections, protectors of the Burnham legacy, just like the guardian of the treasures in adventure movies, began returning from their state of extended dormancy, demanding a piece of the pie while espousing an old, failed agenda. All of this must be overwhelming President Granger, who seems unwilling or unable to stop it. But if he does not, if he cannot see the win of 2015 for what it really was, his administration will most certainly fail in 2020. And if that happens he will be exposing his base supporters.
It is unbelievable how the die-hard supporters can come in since last May and operate as if the AFC does not exist. The PNC/APNU did not win the last elections, neither did the AFC. The last election was the people’s win, catalyzed by APNU teaming up with the AFC. It is unthinkable when you find PNC supporters referring to themselves and AFC supporters as ‘we’ and ‘them.’ It should be all ‘we.’ This administration should not be seeing or saying anything but ‘we.’ You have to from the heart embrace and involve the AFC members and let outsiders see it and want to be part of it. That is how you create an unstoppable force.
The result of the last local government elections should be nothing other than ‘we.’ The honeymoon of this union should never end. It is a winning combination that could only grow and there is no need to worry. At no time can the AFC support by itself get so big as to dismantle APNU or the PPP for that matter. In the context of Guyana the AFC will always remain the balance of power. APNU has them on its side now. It should keep them there. If you destroy them the balance of power will be gone, the PPP will be back in business and the PNC/APNU will be regulated to the dustbin they came out of last May.
Where did the concept that APNU could have won the last general election on its own come from? Why does the party believe that it can win future elections going it alone? President Granger needs a reality check and to put a stop to this runaway train. The PPP won more votes at the last LGE elections. Does this not say anything?
Let us look back to the point of time when President Ramotar announced he intended to fix a date for general elections. How comfortable was APNU about winning? The party admitted they were not ready. President Granger was pushing for LGE instead, to use it as a test run for a general. Do we remember? Then there was that nasty congress, where the leadership was threatened.
Then there was the big impasse in Linden and all of that. APNU was in shambles ‒ can we admit it?
The elections became eminent. APNU was at its weakest, AFC steadfast was not joining or teaming up with APNU – a position they built their popularity upon. Then, about three months before the elections AFC played a wild card – they wanted to lead a coalition, which dropped them to the back of the team but with a reasonable accord in hand.
The hopes and aspiration of the accord created a wave of positives and possibilities, which saw voters coming out in numbers to dislodge the PPP. Why would anyone want to play with or destroy the chemistry that is already happening? Why the unnecessary suspicion about the AFC?
For those who think all is well now and the AFC does not matter, let us look back further. This is our history. The Burnham fraction of the PPP, which became the PNC has never garnered more votes (legally) than the PPP in any elections in our political history, except that one time in May 2015 when the PNC was part of APNU+AFC coalition. Given that knowledge why try to go it alone again at the expense of the people who gave you a chance to matter?
This is unreal stuff. President Granger needs to put a stop to the minds that are off the track. He needs to be bold for the betterment of Guyana. If he does not make the LGE situation right, if he does not stick a pin, take some time out and give a fresh look at where he wants to take this country we are sure, as a country, we are heading to failure.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address
provided)
