Dear Editor,
OVER the past few weeks, we have heard a lot of criticisms coming from the public, be it on social media or the daily newspapers letter columns and mostly opposition PPP members on the issue of the Challenge for the Prime Ministerial post and other challenges for various positions within the AFC at the upcoming party National Conference.

The challenge for various positions in the AFC is not a new chapter inducted in the handbook of the party which is its constitution. The AFC’s constitution allows persons that are qualified members and in sound financial standing within the party to attend the National Conference with voting rights and also to challenge for any post within the party as long as they are being nominated and seconded by members of the party.

Yes, indeed challenges are good and open the confidence of the person(s), but it also shows the support that person has within the party because he\she will have to get lots of support\votes to gain that position. I can recall when I was nominated and seconded to be an elected member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, many had doubts that I could have made it. But I made it and it was done with the support of my party brothers and sisters from the various regions.

So the open challenges within the party are not new or surprising as many people wanted to say. It shows that the AFC is a democratic party and its members are given the opportunity to challenge anyone within the party for any position that they feel they can function within. It shows that the AFC is a democratic party since its formation and continue to be democratic no matter what picture some may want to paint. Those that are flying high to make it look as if the AFC is at a crossroad and there is infighting within the party, should look into their camp and stop being dictator(s) in their party instead of trying to stir up tension in another party’s camp.

Those people who are writing and ‘bad mouthing’ the AFC and the ministers of the government, especially the AFC ministers, are being set-up to do so, because, if one is to notice, they are PPP supporters that are doing this nasty work and hiding under fake names. The AFC ministers and all ministers of the government is doing their best to ensure that the twenty-three years of destruction is being reversed to rebuilt for a better Guyana.

What they need to write about is the dictatorship that is playing out in the PPP, where one man is the leader, the General Secretary, approving and signing off cheques, dictates who should and should not be candidates and, moreover, select whom he wants as the presidential candidate and overrides the entire party executive if there is any. The Alliance For Change remains strong and committed to ensuring that democracy is at work at all times within the party and that all within the party is being given equal opportunity to challenge anyone that holds office within the party for that post.

So to the haters and naysayers that think the AFC is at a crossroad, please rethink and use your pens to attack those within your party [who] is taking democracy away and being the dictator. The AFC National Conference will surely be the place where we, the members of the party, will exercise our democratic rights and support and elect leaders within the party that can manage the affairs and lead the party positively forward for the next two years or so.

I say next two years or so because the AFC constitution mandates the leadership of the party to hold National Conference every two years whereby members are elected to serve the party in various leadership positions and to elect a National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party. The AFC will remain strong and committed to its members and supporters and work for the betterment of all.
Regards
Abel Seetaram