THE Alliance for Change’s (AFC) Biennial Conference is scheduled for today at the Saints Stanislaus College Auditorium, under the theme ‘Unity for healing, reconciliation of our people and equitable growth of our nation.’
However, there will be no selection of presidential and prime ministerial candidates, as previously expected.“This conference will not see the selection of a Presidential or Prime Ministerial Candidate. Our constitution states that when elections are announced we should have a special conference to elect those persons,” the AFC’s General-Secretary David Patterson.
His remarks were made during a press conference hosted by the party yesterday.
According to the General Secretary while the election of presidential and prime ministerial candidates is not on the agenda, executive representatives, as well as members of other committees will be elected.
In early October at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, there were four nominations for the Presidential Candidate: Khemraj Ramjattan, Nigel Hughes, Moses Nagamootoo and Cathy Hughes. Ramjattan subsequently endorsed Nagamootoo as the party’s presidential candidate.
Nominations were also made for the Prime Ministerial Candidate, namely: Raphael Trotman, Nigel Hughes, Cathy Hughes, Dr Verasammy Ramayya and David Patterson.

FACING CHALLENGES
Notably, the party’s conference, which was initially slated for October comes at a time when the party is facing challenges, some of which are expected to cause some amount of unease at today’s Conference. These include:
*Internal wrangling as a result of Ramjattan’s endorsement of Nagamootoo as the party’s presidential candidate.
*The resignations of mainstream supporters;
* The perception that it is aligned with the main Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), particularly as it relates to the divisions in the party, which has seen two faction emerging – the Ramjattan faction and the Hughes faction;
* Indications of lost support in People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) constituencies where it managed to secure something of a foothold during the 2011 elections; and
* Damning allegations that the party is practicing race politics.
The AFC leader, when contacted for a response on whether these matters would attract the attention of the party during the conference, was unavailable for comment. “I am very busy right now,” he told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday.

RESIGNATIONS
A significant loss for the party was the resignation of Sasenarine Singh, who was considered the party’s Finance Chief.
Last August, the AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes had tendered his resignation, but it was not accepted. Hughes had offered his resignation after it was reported that he was the Company Secretary of Amaila Falls Hydro Inc. However, Hughes in a release had said “the incorporation of the Amaila Falls Hydro Inc and my appointment as secretary had been a matter of public record since the incorporation of the Company in April 2009.
Prior to that, in March 2013, AFC Councillor Charrandas Persaud decided to leave the party over “recognition issues,” which were among a long list of his concerns that are yet to be addressed.
Several other members, including Dr Asquith Rose and Tarron Khemraj, had resigned from the party and joined A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), because of unresolved conflicts and differences on policy issues and decisions taken by the AFC’s current leadership.
The AFC representative on the Region 2 (Pomeroon/ Supenaam) Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Archie Cordis, has also parted ways with the party.
In early October this year, former AFC Region 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne) Councillor, Haseef Yusuf, a very vocal critic of the party, was replaced by popular businessman, DevindraSookraj.

ALIGNED TO APNU
As it relates to the perception that it is aligned with APNU, comments from the AFC Leader himself has added fuel to this particular fire.
In early November, contrary to what he’d said before about his party’s position regarding APNU’s proposal for a broader coalition, Ramjattan expressed something of a change of heart.
“We will be dealing with it shortly; I don’t want to make any further comments,” he told the Guyana Chronicle, when the issue was raised with him; whereas he told the Guyana Times earlier in the week: “It is nothing of the sort,” which was taken to mean that the two parties had not yet discussed the matter.
But APNU Leader, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, inadvertently let the ‘cat out of the bag’ when he announced that the coalition’s proposal was renewed during a meeting between the two Opposition parties. This was prior to Ramjattan expressing that “it was nothing of the sort.”
According to Granger: “The matter was raised…and I would say the ball is now in the AFC’s court.” To this extent, however, he informed that no indication was made by the AFC as to whether they will buy into the proposal. As such, the offer still stands.

SUPPORT BASE
On the matter on the AFC losing ground in the very areas the party managed to sway supporters of the ruling party, as early as Monday, the PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee, noted that the indications of a “dwindling support base” are clear.
He said: “This is a clear indication that those who voted for the party has lost confidence in them and are therefore returning to the PPP/C which has over the years up kept it programmes and policies all aimed at improving the lives of all Guyanese. The turnout at both rallies which were held over the weekend was less than favorable.
“…the hopes of AFC presidential candidate Moses Nagamottoo to garner support for his party from East Berbice communities seem to be dwindling as most residents from Whim and Port Mourant boycotted two rallies by the party.”
The AFC Leader, in an invited comment to this newspaper, has since denied that this assertion ‘holds any water.’

RACE POLITICS
Although Ramjattan has addressed the question of a dwindling support base, there has been no word from the party on the damning allegations that it is engaging in race politics.
What the AFC has charged, however, is that the ruling party is pandering along the historic lines of racial division.
One government Member of Parliament (MP), on the condition of anonymity, told the Guyana Chronicle that this charge is ludicrous.
“There is no question on who is really playing the politics of race. Since 2011, the AFC has declared openly that they will work in the PPP constituencies to break the back of the PPP. The 2011 election campaign saw them working in traditionally Indian rural are, especially in Regions 5, 6 and 2,” the MP said.
To support these contentions, the parliamentarian pointed out that the AFC made no bones about having two Afro-Guyanese, David Patterson and Nigel Hughes, appearing on at an APNU rally, in early November, to speak, while Ramjattan and Nagamootoo stayed away.
Also during the 2011 elections campaign, the AFC promised to advocate for an increase in wages and salaries for sugar workers and in an about turn the party. However, during campaigns in Region 10, a traditional People National Congress Reform (PNCR) stronghold, the Government’s support for those in the sugar workers was construed as neglect for other sections of Guyanese society.
“When the agreement on the electricity tariff for Linden was made, two years ago, Mr. Ramjattan used the chance to tell Guyanese in Berbice that the Government is neglecting them. On the other hand, when campaigning in Linden, the AFC tells Guyanese there that the Government is supporting only sugar workers. Who is playing race politics?” the MP questioned.
Additionally, as it relates to the division in the party, the question of race politics is even more concrete, since one faction prefers to be aligned to APNU and another is opposed to it.
According to the Parliamentarian the challenges before the AFC is one that it must address.
Today, at its Biennial Conference, some 300 delegates and observers are expected to be in attendance.