Attorney at law Nigel Hughes was yesterday elected as the Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and in delivering the charge to the party’s conference he called on President Irfaan Ali to convene a meeting of stakeholders to craft a 10 to 15-year national development plan.
In yesterday’s election for leader, he captured 149 votes compared to his opponent Sherod Duncan’s 62. The election was overseen by Returning Officer Christopher Ram and Deputy Trevor Benn.
In a statement following the elections, the AFC said that the conference was historic as this was the first time that none of the surviving founding members of the Party was vying for the position of leader.
The Chairman of the Party is now David Patterson whose 150 votes surpassed Juretha Fernandes’ 69.
The remaining positions on the executive were filled by Michael Carrington the new Vice Chair and co-founder of the AFC Raphael Trotman now holds the position of General Secretary. The conference also elected the twelve members of the National Executive Committee NEC which will manage the Party.
The AFC said that the party delegates numbering over two hundred represented the ten regions of Guyana, the Youth For Change and Women For Change groups with most attending in person at the Revealed Word Christian Centre in William Street, Kitty.
The AFC said that the contingent of delegates voting on line were from Region 9 who could not attend given the recent inclement weather conditions which made travel to Georgetown difficult and members of the AFC diaspora chapters in the USA and the Caribbean.
Delivering the charge to the delegates and observers, the release said that Hughes immediately co-opted leading members of the opposing slate to be part of the Executive and they graciously accepted. He then went on to deliver a vision positioning the AFC as “the force” in the upcoming 2025 election.
The Leader urged the Party to undertake a comprehensive review of its performance in office to examine the missteps which led to its loss of office in 2020 so that it can take the lessons from the past in crafting a pathway to the future.
He outlined the future thrust of the Party and its commitment to reach out to all Guyanese irrespective of political persuasion, all key stakeholders and civic organisations including the private sector, trade unions, women’s and youth movements.
“The new leader called on President Irfaan Ali to immediately convene a meeting of all the parliamentary political parties, major civil society stakeholder, economists both local and international to establish a commitment to a consensus based ten to fifteen year national development plan in five key areas – Economy, Education, Foreign Relations, Health and Poverty. This plan should become enshrined in law”, the release said.
He also charged the conference delegates to be prepared for national elections.
Hughes also took to Facebook to express his gratitude and vision for the future. “To the ancestors, sisters, brothers, friends, fellow citizens, and even frenemies, I am truly humbled by the tremendous support and awesome responsibility you have placed on my shoulders,” Hughes wrote.
Quoting the legendary Bob Marley, Hughes shared, “May we forward in this generation triumphantly.” He affirmed his commitment to a united Guyana, stating unequivocally, “We have One Agenda and it’s Guyana.”
