MR. Nigel Hughes, Chairman of the AFC is once again in the news for the wrong reasons. This time for failing to honour an agreement of sale of a plot of land on which one of Guyana’s most popular private schools is located. How can a senior attorney-at-law commit such a disgraceful act? An act, that is not only unbecoming of an experienced lawyer, but who is also the Chairman of a major political party; a party that aspires to govern Guyana. Mr. Hughes’ failure to fulfil his legal and moral obligations have placed the future of more than three hundred young Guyanese, preparing for their CXC examinations, the passport to their future, in jeopardy. Has Mr. Hughes given any thought to what would happen to those children should they be evicted? Has he given any thought to the hundreds of millions invested? It appears that Mr. Hughes love and worship of money is so great that he just don’t care a damn about the future of over three hundred young Guyanese.

Can you imagine, only recently the National Assembly passed a law to protect innocent purchasers from this very type of injustice. The AFC supported this bill. Mr. Moses Nagamootoo spoke at length on the need to protect innocent purchasers from dishonest vendors who either sell their property a second time or mortgage it to a financial institution and failing to pay off the mortgage after the sale, thereby making it impossible for the purchaser to receive transport unless that person pays off the mortgage. This must be fraud of some kind. It is the very thing Nigel Hughes is accused of doing! Did Mr Nagamootoo know that one of these dishonest vendors about whom he spoke is his party’s chairman? This is the million dollar question.
It has been reported that when asked for a comment, Mr. Hughes refused saying that the matter is sub judice and therefore he cannot comment. He finds it convenient to now hide behind the sub judice principle, but this principle was thrown out of the window in the Jagdeo v Kissoon matter in 2011. It would be recalled that Mr. Hughes at every street corner, at every AFC public meeting during their 2011 election campaign spoke about the matter. Was that matter not sub judice? One cannot prostitute these legal principles.
What is most disturbing in this whole saga is the AFC’s position, in particular, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo. Mr. Nagamootoo loves to claim how close he was to Dr. Jagan and how he is a living embodiment of the ideals of Cheddi. In short, he is claiming to be the biggest “jaganite” alive. If this is so, then he must know the importance Dr. Jagan attached to young people and their education. He would also know that is the reason he fought against numerous odds and established the University of Guyana so that young Guyanese could realise their dreams. Today, Mr. Nagamootoo is a leader of a political party, whose Chairman, Mr. Nigel Hughes, has put the future of over 300 young Guyanese preparing for their CXC exams, and you cannot hear his voice. Would Dr. Jagan have remained silent? How can Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, leader of the AFC, when asked for a comment say it is a personal matter? What a disgraceful answer from one who considers himself a crusader against corruption and a moralist.
It must not be forgotten that during their 2011 election the AFC campaigned on platform of everything youth: youth empowerment, jobs for youths, etc. Here is an opportunity for the AFC to prove to the nation, especially the youths that they were not deliberately deceiving them into voting for them or were they? Does the AFC realise that many of those students being affected would be on the voter’s list come next election?
Another individual who claims to be the embodiment of another great son of the soil is Mr. Freddie Kissoon, the self-proclaimed fighter against injustice. Mr. Kissoon portrays himself as an intellectual. He hails Dr. Walter Rodney as his hero. Dr. Rodney, like Dr. Jagan, saw Guyana’s future in educating and empowering the youths. Here we have a situation, the education and empowerment of over 300 young Guyanese are threatened, ironically dishonest acts committed by the very person who, Mr. Kissoon has publicly baptised as Guyana’s new Dr. Rodney.
I am sure that the Guyanese public is eagerly awaiting Mr. Kissoon’s comments on this whole affair. Does he still believe Mr. Nigel Hughes is Guyana’s new Walter Rodney? Dr. Rodney must be turning in his grave. Can Mr. Kissoon spare the dead man’s soul such agony?
What this whole saga has proven once again is that hypocrisy has become the norm within the AFC leadership.
SUNDAR NAUTH