THE Alliance For Change (AFC) has been hurt by the decision of its Leader, Mr. Raphael Trotman, to turn down nomination as the running mate for the small party’s Presidential candidate, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, at next year’s general elections, members said yesterday. Senior party member, Mr. Michael Carrington, told reporters it was a “sad day” when Trotman declined to be the AFC’s Prime Ministerial candidate after Ramjattan was ratified as Presidential candidate at its convention on Saturday.

AFC co-founder, Ms. Sheila Holder was selected as the Prime Ministerial candidate after Trotman turned down nomination on the grounds of health and personal reasons.
Party members said they were shocked at Trotman’s refusal to be Ramjattan’s running mate, deepening speculation that the rift between the two men that surfaced earlier this year still exists.
The AFC special national convention at the Ocean View Convention Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, was called to select candidates for the two top posts for next year’s polls.
Sources said delegates were expecting a Ramjattan-Trotman ticket and several tried in vain to get Trotman to change his stand after he declined running with Ramjattan.
One insider suggested that by standing down, Trotman would not be blamed if the AFC does poorly at the 2011 elections.
The AFC was engulfed by a leadership crisis for several months earlier this year with separate groups backing Trotman and Ramjattan as Presidential candidates after the party’s top brass failed to honour a rotation agreement that would have seen Ramjattan take over as AFC leader.