FORMER Member of Parliament (MP) under the umbrella of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Africo Selman, believes that based on a strictly analytical perspective she is in agreement with former President Bharrat Jagdeo that the political Opposition stood to benefit from the execution of Courtney Crum-Ewing.The activist was shot and killed in Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) earlier this month and was at the time using a bullhorn urging people to vote on May 11.

Selman’s comments come a day after Jagdeo took to the podium at the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) rally over the weekend at the Kitty Market Square and suggested that the Opposition stood to benefit from Crum-Ewing’s killing.

Mounting the PPP/C’s platform for the first time since resigning from APNU, Selman during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday stated that her conclusion has nothing to do with any political persuasion and points out that the slain man was in fact an opposition activist.

She suggested that the PPP/C would have absolutely nothing to gain from being a part of Crum-Ewing’s killing, saying that the analytical conclusion points to the Opposition benefiting.

GRANGER’S LEADERSHIP
Selman, during the brief interview with the Guyana Chronicle, also defended her decision to mount the PPP/C’s platform and fired back at the leadership of APNU, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, in particular.
She was adamant that to date she has received no offers from the PPP/C, nor is she a member of the party.
In fact, Selman told the Guyana Chronicle, she frankly does not even know how to go about becoming a member of the PPP/C.

According to the former APNU Member of Parliament, who has been serving in the ranks of the Opposition since 2006, it is a policy such as free education and literacy that has attracted her to publicly support the PPP/C.

She told the Guyana Chronicle the political Opposition cannot seriously preach a pro-education stance, then chop chunks of allocation from the national expenditure that has been set aside specifically for education.

NO CHOICE
Confronted with the fact, she along with the other members of the Opposition voted against the allocation – Selman said she did not have a choice.
This is something the young Parliamentarian said needs to be reformed, since one is not allowed to voice internal opposition to any of the party’s position, whether it is agreed with or not.

Ranks cannot break the party position and vote conversely or they will be dealt with condignly, according to Selman.

Pointing to the dismal leadership provided in the National Assembly by Granger et al, Selman told the Guyana Chronicle that the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), under the leadership of Robert Corbin, would meet for hours on end before Parliamentary sittings, so as to allow for consensus positions to be taken.
This, she said, became a thing of the past under Granger’s leadership. According to Selman, when a Parliamentary sitting is called, the Opposition Members of Parliament would meet a half hour before the session actually begins at which point they are told what the voting position would be.

Such an ad hoc manner it was, according to Selman, that there were occasions where the ranks in the back benches, minutes before a vote, would be informed by the party’s Chief Whip, Amna Ally, who would turn around and signal to her colleagues whether it would be an affirmative or negative vote.

According to Selman, on matters related to finances, if a member voices a different opinion to that of Carl Greenidge, it would be in vain.
She explained that on matters of finance, he has been appointed ‘point man’ and so whenever he adopts a position, it is a hardline stance taken.
These, she said, were among the numerous instances that led to her recent resignation from Parliament.
Selman over the weekend donned the PPP/C colours and took to the podium to urge Guyanese to return the incumbent administration.
“Never allow yourself to be deceived by the APNU+Alliance For Change (AFC), stay far away…This party is for unity, not for racial division, this party is for progress and this is the party you should all vote for,” she stressed.
She also continued to express her dissatisfaction with her treatment from the APNU and urged the youths to get themselves educated about what the PPP/C has to offer and has been doing for the development of the country.