–says Ramjattan, wants party to become a more vibrant force in coalition

TOP Alliance for Change (AFC) officials, who were recently selected for new positions are bent on making the party a more viable force within the ruling A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) + Alliance for Change (AFC) Coalition Government.The party’s position comes in light of new leadership and claims that the AFC continues to die as it is being gobbled up by the larger APNU fraction.

Party Chairman, Khemraj Ramjattan, speaking at a press briefing on Thursday dismissed those claims, pointing out that the large turnout at the party’s recent biannual conference has reassured its presence in the political arena.

According to Trotman, some 300 persons voted at the conference with over 500 observers. Those persons were vibrant and merry, he said passionately.

“What we saw is a party that is strong,” Trotman noted, stressing that it was a proud moment for him to see “the evolution of a movement into a full-fledged political party”.

He noted too that he intends to build upon what former leader Khemraj Ramjattan has done, and on that note, thanked Ramjattan for the AFC’s success in going into Government with the APNU.

Trotman said he will continue to share the leadership with his predecessor and will strive to make the party into a stronger fighting force.

“The party will spend the next two years preparing itself in becoming a better fighting force,” he said.

And Ramjattan said there is room for improvements in APNU and AFC relations.

He hoped that the upcoming oil sector will improve relations between the two sides, especially in the area of job creation since the coalition has been under intense pressure for inadequately addressing this campaign promise.

Ramjattan said he saw an “extraordinarily brighter economic and financial reality” with the upcoming industry that is also currently managed by Trotman, who is Minister of Natural Resources.

People want jobs and that is the current challenge, he said, noting that being unable to provide the jobs requires a frank overview of the situation.

This matter, he said has been a concern for the coalition since members of both sides have expectations to be met.

Ramjattan said he would like to see continuity between the two parties as they address the issues faced and improve engagement in dealing with disputes and resolving them quickly.

“I rather feel it has been a relationship that has been very sound and sometime unjustifiably criticised because expectations are extraordinary great,” Ramjattan said.

According to him, being in opposition is one thing, but being in government and knowing the political, financial and economic realities, “sometimes create the difficulties of expectations not being met.”

Ramjattan also believes that a new party leadership is good to help “reopen a number of things that will ensure expectations are better met.”

“So I believe in all honesty that those difficulties and challenges and constraints that we presently have in this relationship will all be met,” he said.

Meanwhile, Trotman also dismissed claims that he could compromise his party since he was handpicked by President David Granger to manage the natural resource sector.

Trotman told reporters that other party members were chosen outside of the APNU, AFC Cummingsburg Accord.

“We are extra appointees,” who have in no way been compromised, he said.