-Lincoln Lewis backs APNU+AFC for second term

WHILE giving kudos to the developmental work undertaken by the APNU+AFC during its first term in office, veteran trade unionist, Lincoln Lewis, believes the David Granger-led administration deserves a second term and he has committed to joining hands with others in influencing the minds of Guyanese to rally around the coalition.

Lewis, the current President of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) and General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), made the comments on BenschopRadio 107.1FM’s programme “Straight-up”on Thursday evening.

“We are now moving out of the learning curve,” he said, adding that since the coalition was able to undertake a large magnitude of work during its first term, that the incumbent deserves another chance to govern Guyana. ”They are going to do a tremendous amount of work for the society,” Lewis said, noting that he made his judgement as an individual who has been around the political scene for decades. ”That’s the way the political curve goes,” he told host, Mark Benschop.

According to Lewis, politics is about “people and people’s development.” He said that on the contrary, there are some politicians who believe that politics revolves around them. ”For some persons, it is about them first and foremost and about them each day.”
While he did not name anyone, Lewis said that there is a political figure who possesses an “interesting” record of targeting individuals as opposed to universal fundamental principles. Lewis went on to talk about “economic genocide”, a term he coined during the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) term in office, more so during former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s term as head of state. Several days ago, he expounded on the term during an interview with this newspaper.

“This claim was informed by the targeted discriminatory and unequal treatment meted out to Afro-Guyanese during his tenure,” Lewis explained. He said that Dr. Roger Luncheon, another Afro-Guyanese, served at several influential positions in the PPP government, but it was he who informed the court that the Jagdeo Government never hired any African to head any of the Overseas Missions because none was found to be so qualified. “Going by evidence of the past, Jagdeo must do much more than make another entreaty, by making clear how increasing African presence in the party will translate to Africans being treated and respected as equal and participating members of this society, that their rights and freedoms will be respected, that Africans will be allowed equitable access, opportunity and benefit to the nation’s resources,” Lewis said.
On Thursday, Lewis said that he is convinced that Jagdeo had possessed a programme which he conceptualised and implemented, one which went against the economic interests of the population.

He said that programme was made functional and it was designed to “suppress” a section of the Guyanese society. He explained that the Opposition Leader picked out a few individuals who went along with his programme and this in turn led to the concept that persons needed to join the selected few in order “to be like them.”
Lewis said that communities such as those at Linden, Kwakwani and New Amsterdam are among those which were “marginalised” by Jagdeo. On Thursday night’s programme, Lewis noted that he has always stood up for the rights of the citizenry and he noted that he is able to make his judgement based on evidence. He, like Benschop, recalled the many trials the duo endured under the PPP administration including being locked-up at the Brickdam Police Station over protest action. Benschop said the PPP’s 2020 elections candidate, Anthony Vieira, were among those who supported him when he protested the former administration. He said while an individual is entitled to his/her choice, Vieira’s move to join the PPP was baffling.