Dear Editor,
OVER the past few months leading up to the Alliance For Change (AFC)’s National Conference, which was held on June 15, 2019, many took to social media, especially Facebook and the local media, to bash the Party in every way they could. I must say, they continue to do the same now that the conference is over, but they are harder and stronger in the bashing to the newly-elected leadership of the party.

Let me say this; the elections of those office bearers were done under a very democratic process. It was fairly, freely and transparently done during the entire process, and all of the delegates and observers were very pleased the way things went.

The AFC does not believe in selecting candidates to fill a position, as some did in having their Presidential Candidate and other party officials/leaders selected. Those are the very people that are using their support base and membership to cuss out the AFC democratic process on FB and the local media houses, when they themselves are the ones engaged in internal rigging of their party’s elections process.

The AFC welcomes these critics, because they make the party membership and leadership stronger in ensuring that they remain intact and firm in what they believe in, and that which is better for the party in taking it forward.

I will admit, and I do know that many of my brothers and sisters in the AFC will believe the same, and that is that like every other political party in Guyana, the Caribbean and the world, they too have their share of problems to deal with. I do not think that the AFC is running away from that fact. I believe many are upset with the AFC today. Why? Because they didn’t expect to hear and see that the conference was incident- free and there were no hiccups or cause for the delegates to create a problem, although some took to the various media houses days before to create problems within the party.

The party’s members stood their ground and ensured that the AFC remains a democratic party, so that their views can be heard while maintaining peace and calm, so that Guyanese and the world at large can see and know that the AFC is strong and committed to the development of Guyana, no matter what. Before the conference, many believed that lots of negatives would take place. Many had believed, too, that members would have fought amongst themselves, and that the conference would have broken up. But AFC members know better, and did better. And that shocked those naysayers.

I would like to congratulate those elected to serve the party for the next two years, and hope that they get their act together in ensuring that the AFC continues to be positive as we move forward positively towards strengthening the party and its policies.
The AFC, at the last National Conference, elected a strong leadership team in the likes of Khemraj Ramjattan as the leader, Raphael Trotman as Chair, Cathy Hughes as Vice-Chair and the hard-working former General Secretary David Patterson as its new General Secretary.

Those names alone have got the Opposition thinking, “What’s happening? Why did it have to be those people? Why?” The Opposition knows that all of those persons can stand up to the PPP, while the PPP only has one dictator that stands up. But he does it differently; by cussing out. And those elected in the AFC leadership do not go that way. We must all understand as to why the AFC is being attacked and targetted by many on social media and in the local press. I know that the AFC is not worried over those attacks, because it’s their democratic right to do so.

At the National Conference, we also saw the election of 12 strong National Executive Members, who are going to work hand-in- hand with the newly-elected leadership in taking the party positively forward. They are: Valerie Lowe, Dr. ‘Vince’ Adams, Michael Carrington, Alison Mohamed, Sherod Duncan, Haimraj Rajkumar, Ricky Ramsaroop, Dominic Gaskin, Nicola Trotman, Neilson McKenzie, Trevor Williams and Derek Basdeo.

Those are very competent and hardworking AFC members now serving on the NEC of the party. I know that this newly-elected NEC will serve better than the previous NEC that did way less of what they had to do.

By having this team, I know that they will work to ensure that the party develops more, and also to ensure that we work hand- in-hand with our ‘Coalition’ partners, APNU, in ensuring that development continues. The AFC delegates at the National Conference come from all ten administrative regions of Guyana, the Caribbean and the Diaspora (USA, UK, and Canada), and they resoundingly and wholeheartedly support Mr Khemraj Ramjattan to be the AFC’s choice as Prime Ministerial Candidate for the upcoming elections with our ‘Coalition’ partners.

I do not believe this was done in any way to discredit the work of our present Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, MP, and Party Statesman. Prime Minister Nagamootoo served this country well, as PM, and as a long-standing politician. He works hard within the AFC and ‘Coalition’ to ensure changes come.

I would like to take this opportunity, and I think all within the party would like to echo the same sentiment to PM Nagamootoo, and that is, “Thank you very much for your kind and hardworking service to this dear land of ours. You have served well, and we all believe that your hard work has paid off, especially in helping to get rid of the corrupt PPP in 2015.
“PM Nagamootoo, you deserve the highest national award of this land for your exceptional services to this country, and moreover to the people of this great land.”

The AFC is a strong, vibrant and committed party that will continue the struggles with its ‘Coalition’ partners for and towards a better and positive Guyana, by developing all sectors in this country, regardless of race, religion, political affiliations, etc. It is my honest and humble opinion that all the naysayers see and know the strength of the AFC through its strong and vibrant leadership over the years, and especially what took place at the Conference, when its members throughout Guyana took a stand by firmly electing strong leaders that will and can stand up for the party in taking us forward.

The negatives that we are hearing and reading I believe comes from those that want to take the party main focus away for some reason or the other, by pretending to be members of the AFC and APNU. But less they know is that the AFC is strong, focus and stand firmly towards it believes and principles at all times.

To my AFC family, brothers and sisters along with all the supporters’ let us be strong and united as we fight the demons that are after us and ensure we work harder in every street corner, village and community throughout Guyana in ensuring victory for the APNU+AFC comes national and regional elections.

We cannot afford to beat up on each other in the AFC or our coalition partners, because that is what the opposition is waiting for and will take that to score points against us. It is my firm belief that because of the strength of those two candidates that will lead the coalition into elections the PPP will create every havoc and mischief’s that they can by spreading lies as they often do to the public, so as to ensure they have their way.

Let’s remain strong and committed as we work together in ensuring a better Guyana through the many positives that took place and keeps going\happening under this APNU+AFC coalition as they continue to bring the GOOD LIFE FOR ALL.
Regards,
Abel Seetaram