The Alliance For Change (AFC) yesterday said that its constitution does not prohibit the party’s leader and other senior office holders from serving more than two successive terms in the same post.
The party issued the clarification yesterday in a press statement that it said was in response to the “mistaken impression” in public discussions that its constitution excludes a leader or member from being re-elected after two terms under Article 19 (1).
Article 19 (1) of the AFC Constitution states: “The various senior positions of the AFC, including those in the National Executive, Regions and Groups ought to be rotated as far as is possible so that no member is allowed to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office, so as to ensure a broader activism in leadership positions by the membership.”
According to the party, the constitution does not make it mandatory for such rotation and leaves room for the membership to nominate or elect leaders to continue in a post for a longer period. “The larger membership may want this recognition of the experience and expertise of certain leaders, and in the interest of the unity of the party’s leadership,” it said, before adding that the interpretation of the party’s constitution is for members, who will freely elect and re-elect leaders.
The AFC is due to conduct elections for its leadership at its upcoming National Executive Conference on Saturday at the Vreed-en-Hoop Primary School.
The posts to be contested are those of Leader, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and General Secretary as well as 12 National Executive positions.
Current leader Khemraj Ramjattan has said he would seek to be re-elected is nominated to serve again, while other members of the current leadership have also taken a similar stance, despite some concerns that they may not be able to effectively represent the party’s views given their positions in the ruling coalition’s Cabinet.
The AFC currently has seven of its members as government ministers, including Ramjattan as Public Security Minister, party Vice-Chairman Moses Nagamootoo, who is Prime Minister, and General Secretary David Patterson, who is Minister of Public Infrastructure.
Some of its members have opined that those holding key positions in the coalition government should exit the party’s executive. The conference will be the party’s first since it entered office in 2015 as part of a coalition with APNU.
The party said yesterday that the deadline for nominations is 12 noon on Monday, January 23rd and the final list of nominees will be announced on Wednesday, January 25th.
