Minister of Natural Resources and Alliance for Change (AFC) executive Raphael Trotman says that he too would be accepting nominations to be party leader and would consider it an honour to serve in the capacity once more.
“I would feel humbled to be considered and am available to serve,” Trotman told Stabroek News on Tuesday, when asked if he would accept nominations.
The one time leader of the AFC did not contest for the post at the party’s last National Executive Conference as he was serving as Speaker of the National Assembly at the time and thought it “responsible” to not take part in the election.
However, this time Trotman said he is open to contest not only for the leadership but any executive posts he may be nominated for.
The AFC was formed in 2005 by Trotman, current party leader Khemraj Ramjattan and the late Sheila Holder.
Ramjattan has already signalled his intent to run for the position again amid signs that some of its members want those holding key positions in the coalition government to exit the party’s executive.
The AFC currently has seven of its members as government ministers and twelve as Members of Parliament.
It will be the party’s first Conference since it entered office in 2015 as part of a coalition with APNU and questions have surfaced about how the party can effectively represent its views when its senior leaders occupy the office of Prime Minister and several Cabinet posts.
At a party press conference last Friday, AFC leaders who hold Cabinet positions were adamant that both roles could be performed simultaneously and Ramjattan said his record speaks for itself. “I want to suspect that I do have some experience now that I am a minister and that will only enhance the position and yes, I certainly I will go forward,” Ramjattan said when asked if he will again run for leader if nominated.
Ramjattan added that he knows that other members might be nominated to serve as leader of the party for the next two years and he said he welcomed it as it shows the democratic nature of the AFC. His stance was echoed by party executives Cathy Hughes and David Patterson, ministers of Public Telecommunications and Public Infrastructure, respectively, who both said that they, too, would accept a nomination to be leader of the party.
“If I do have to challenge, I will. From the time I have joined the AFC nobody has ever declined or stepped down from a challenge. The party decides. So, if I am nominated, I will stand and let the delegates decide who shall be the leader for the next two years,” Patterson responded.
“Why would the ladies want to be left out of the management of the party? We are a young party and I think that is what is exciting about the AFC. We love a challenge. We play hard, we discuss hard and we work hard. We don’t feel any impediments, that there is a way you must do this or that and that a leader must not be challenged and that kind of thing. It is an open game. Our members are the ones that will make the nominations and we are up for the challenge,” Hughes asserted.
Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin and Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Valerie Garrido-Lowe have also confirmed their intentions to contest for posts as well.
“I see no reason not to. I would go even further to add that it would be an honour to serve my party in any capacity whatsoever that I am nominated for,” Gaskin told this newspaper.
While Garrido-Lowe said she would accept nominations for executive posts, she informed that she would decline if nominated to be either Leader or General Secretary. “I will accept for an executive position – not the leadership position though, nor General Secretary. I can only accept an exec position if I am nominated first, so no use putting the cart before the horse,” she said.
