What makes the Alliance For Change(AFC)  believe that  it can dictate to President Donald Ramotar and his PPP/C government  when it must engage the latter  in matters relative to the wellbeing of Guyana and its citizens? That this question is asked, is based on a report in the GUYANA TIMES, that this political party  is “awaiting the  call from the Office of the President  to get down to the business at hand. ” This is relative to its representatives who will sit, along with its other opposition counterpart APNU, in a tripartite arrangement for consultations on the national budget.  Now, what is so barefacedly dishonest   about this statement from the AFC, is that it  conveys the  incorrect impression that the PPP/C  government is reluctant and even  deliberately tardy in finalising such a meeting, when in  fact  it  is fully  aware of  already scheduled talks, according to a statement from APNU’s Granger in the GUYANA TIMES
In a report carried in this medium, their sister  party in the shady and dishonest  arrangement of the grab of the  Speaker’s chair, has more or less made a statement  that can be construed as distancing itself from  such an untrue  stance.  This  party seems to believe that because of its pivotal position in the equation of the current  Parliamentary configuration, it has the right to behave in a cocky and unreasonable manner. But this is also devious and deceiving  in every way, as such a position   is intended to convey to the nation at large, inclusive of its constituents, that the government is  either foot-dragging or  deliberately  creating a situation for political conflict.
The fact that David Granger can unequivocally report in the GUYANA TIMES that “APNU is engaged in a  tripartite process with the PPP and AFC and we are aware that Mrs. Teixeira on behalf of the President has already called a meeting ”, is not only a thorough repudiation of the AFC’s statement, but also  a reflection of the discordant relations between the two sides.  No one will want to question the veracity of  Granger’s  statement, since it  supports the fact of a similar statement from the PPP/C government of such an arrangement  to which both parties  ought to have already sent their principals.
Again, does the AFC understand its very critical role in this new political field? It must be reminded, inter alia, that this  unnecessary  antic is  essaying at  dangerous politics;  and  an attempt at brinkmanship designed to play to the national gallery to show  “who run things.” Is this how such a political opposition party, now in an important role, expects to play its  parliamentary hand?
Had this grouping  been cognisant of its  newly acquired   and serious national  responsibility, it would not have, first, conspired with APNU to greedily grab not only the Speakership, but also the Deputy as well; while second, it  would have been  true to its numerous  electoral calls for consensual politics.
No one begrudges this party for its  somewhat improved poll performance, and the critical balance that it now  holds in the House. What is of essence, is  how  it  will  exercise    this pivotal position in the coming period.  Will it be for a  display of  power play, self glorification or for the advancement of the Guyanese nation?   Their shocking   collusion in the election for Speaker, mirrors an  understanding of  political power, in  the classical display  of self, rather than using same for  the wellbeing of the nation, as this historic  period  truly demands. The current picture  does not augur very well for the future.
If this is an indication of AFC  politics in the Tenth Parliament, then the nation  is at risk, and all Guyanese must be ready to resist  such political deviancy  without fail.