Dear Editor,
One of the things I wish to clear with my fellow Guyanese is that I had in fact been instrumental in the formation of the APNU+AFC coalition in February 2015. The Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, as well as David Granger, will confirm that I visited Congress Place late in 2014, about three times, and formulated a strategy with Mr. Felix to manage and encourage the alliance with the AFC via email under the pseudonym of Marcel Johnson, and via text message.
This clarifies in large measure my relations with both major political parties, and should make it clear to die-hard supporters of the People’s National Congress that I harbour no ill-will against their political representation, but object to the manner of this representation by their so-called political leaders, and the political security of their constituency, as well as that of traditional PPP supporters.
Even as I navigated the alliance of the AFC and APNU in 2015, I contemplated my explanation to my fellow men should the PNC return to its old ways of party paramountcy and economic domination, not to mention its penchant for managing national elections below the table. I satisfied myself at the time that should this be the case, there could be no better way to explain to our Guyanese youth the nature of our political and economic problems during the first fifty years of our Independence, as the PNC seems once again set on reliving our past.
There however can be no question in the minds of Guyanese that Guyana was in dire need of a change of government at the time, the reasons for which are already copiously documented. Since early 2018, as the coalition systematically continued to alienate traditional PPP supporters, I had made it clear to the nation that Guyana was heading into a political crisis with the failure of both of our major political parties at administering our national affairs. I had emphasized the need for a new political third force as a means of ensuring that we did not again slip back into another 23 years of chaotic management and pillaging of our natural resources, the revenues from which since 1992 should have gone to delivering welfare gains for the entire country and raising Guyanese out of poverty (this stands at an estimated 36% or 262,500 Guyanese men, women and children). It is worth noting here that notwithstanding the sound policy framework I had developed, the Democratic National Congress which I established as a bulwark and fortress for Guyanese did not secure candidates in time for the arbitrarily imposed Nomination Day by a GECOM management clearly in bed with the interests of the major political parties.
Charles Sugrim’s letter (SN Jan 21/2020) underlines the fact that the management of GECOM has been effectively bullying the smaller third parties, effective representatives of Guyanese in our national politics, and makes it pellucidly clear that smaller parties have until 25 days before polling day (February 06th) for the submission of a winning combination of smaller parties. Also, these parties should rely on their constitutionally granted (Nomination Day) deadline of 32 days prior (to polling days (January 28th, 2020) to file any changes to their candidates’ lists, if so desired. This said, our problem remains: providing a strong political alternative to secure harvesting of the untold value of our natural resources and eradicating our government-sponsored poverty across Guyana.
Guyanese are a rich, wealthy people. Penultimately, I close by observing the wisdom of rich people: they do not put thieves and criminals to manage their affairs. The DNC’s Motto, by which all Guyanese should live, is: A Nation Which Fails To Defend Its Democracy, Consents To, And Justifies The Abuses Of Its Government.
By way of notice, and to foster intelligent debate on our future, I cannot in all good conscience support or vote for either of our major political parties, both of which have been instrumental in debasing the welfare of Guyanese, and facilitating the virtual giveaway of revenues from our natural resources which could be used to develop our country.
Finally, I close by noting that Guyana, Guyanese, are in an ‘economic war’ for our natural resources, and through global competition. It is important that our political leaders represent our interests and not be proxies from the pillage and plunder of our resources by unscrupulous foreign companies.
Yours faithfully,
Craig Sylvester,
Party Leader,
Democratic National Congress.
