MEMBERS of the small Alliance For Change (AFC) are coming out against moves by the party leadership for a coalition with the larger Opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) for next year’s general elections.

One man, calling himself a `concerned member’, has gone public with his objection on the popular YouTube network saying he and other AFC members are dead set against any coalition with the PNCR because of its past history.

He charged that members of the party do not seem to have a say in the matter and “many of my colleagues in the AFC are really hurt” by the planned coalition. “There’s no democracy in this party”, he declared.

He said there was no objection to an alliance with other smaller parties but a groundswell was building within the AFC against such a coalition with the PNCR.

He recalled that the AFC was launched as an alternative to the PNCR and the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and a coalition with the PNCR was against the founding principles of the AFC.

“We are going to be taking this matter very far”, he said.

Asked Monday about his previously expressed concern about the AFC forging an alliance with the PNCR, Chairman Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan said: “there are some international factors…I have come around to the position, that if you want, largely, to get the largest block, there must be a larger block than the AFC.”
On how the party intended to deal with the perception that PNCR Leader Robert Corbin may be an obstacle to a successful opposition alliance, Ramjattan suggested that there will always be the perception that certain personalities would be negative for the larger efforts of advancing alliances and felt that the way to go was to negotiate the best set of leaders to work along with.
AFC Leader, Mr. Trotman said at a press conference Monday that the party’s bid for an opposition alliance was not one of personalities but of principles and programmes.
He said the programme to take Guyana forward will first have to be outlined and persons will then fit themselves in.
Trotman is a former senior PNCR member and parliamentarian who defected to form his own party while Ramjattan is a defector from the PPP.
The AFC is now seeking to merge with the PNCR after bitter differences earlier this year when Trotman accused Corbin of being in secret talks with President Bharrat Jagdeo on a shared governance agreement for the 2011 elections.
Trotman flatly declared then that the AFC was not discussing an alliance with the PNCR but Corbin said the two parties have had several meetings, discussions and consultations on the issue.