Dear Editor,
I READ with great hilarity the publicly announced position of the APNU and the AFC that they have established March 31st to determine whether they will be joining forces to contest the 2025 General Elections.
The reason for my chuckle upon reading this bit of information is premised on the conditionalities, conduct and abysmal track record that the said contemplated partnership has wrought onto the Guyanese populace when these parties shared power from 2015 to 2020.
I will outline below a summary of their tenure, which I am certain does not capture everything that was done, so that we can remember what this “partnership” gave Guyana:
2015:
Abuse of the Contingency Fund:
The Auditor General’s 2015 report highlighted that the APNU+AFC government continued the misuse of the Contingency Fund. Significant withdrawals were made for expenditures that did not meet the criteria for emergency funding, such as $48 million for furniture and equipment for the Ministry of the Presidency and State House, and $77 million for salary increases at the University of Guyana.
On the topic of salary increases, upon assuming office in 2015, the APNU+AFC administration implemented significant salary increases for their government officials. Government ministers saw a 50% increase on their salaries, while public servants received 5% that year.
2016:
Secret Signing Bonus: In 2016, the government secured a US$18 million signing bonus from ExxonMobil, this transaction was kept secret for over a year and was not initially deposited into the Consolidated Fund, raising concerns about transparency and accountability. It was only after the information became public did they (APNU+AFC) come out and say the money was intended to fund legal fees for the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy. By September 2020, the APNU+AFC government had not accounted for how much of the US$18 million signing bonus from ExxonMobil was spent on legal fees related to the border controversy. The lack of transparency regarding the expenditure of these funds raised further ethical concerns.
2017:
Procurement Irregularities: Multiple reports surfaced of the government single-sourcing contracts without adhering to the Procurement Act. Notably, the controversial Sussex Street Drug Bond was procured, in excess of $260 million Guyana dollars, without public tender, leading to allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds.
Decimation of the Sugar Industry:
Between 2016 and 2017, the APNU+AFC government in Guyana closed four sugar estates: Wales, Skeldon, Enmore (East Demerara), and Rose Hall. This decision led to the dismissal of a significant number of sugar workers, with reports indicating that approximately 5,160 to 7,000 workers were affected. The closures not only impacted the workers directly employed by these estates but also had far-reaching effects on private cane farmers and the broader community.
A study funded by the International Labour Organization (ILO) highlighted the severe socio-economic consequences of these closures. The research revealed that the livelihoods of the laid-off workers were severely compromised, leading to increased instances of suicide, alcohol consumption, and crime in the affected communities. The drastic decline in household incomes further exacerbated these issues.
The closures were widely criticised for their lack of comprehensive socio-economic analysis and the absence of viable alternative employment options for the displaced workers. The decision not only disrupted the lives of thousands of families, but also had a ripple effect on local businesses and communities that were economically intertwined with the sugar industry.
2018: No-Confidence Motion
In December 2018, a no-confidence motion was brought against the APNU+AFC government. The motion succeeded when then AFC Member of Parliament Charandass Persaud, disgusted with the treatment of Guyana’s sugar workers and its industry, voted in favour, resulting in a 33 to 32 vote. This outcome required the government to resign and call for general elections within three months, as stipulated by Article 106 (6) and (7) of the Guyana Constitution. They refused to resign and held on to power in contravention of the Constitution until 2020.
2019:
Excessive Legal Fees: The Auditor General’s report revealed that the government spent over $170 million on high-priced local and overseas lawyers between May 2015 and August 2020, allegedly to lobby favour with the ABC countries who were pushing back against their attempt to illegitimately hold on to the reigns of power. Many of these retainers were in breach of procurement laws, leading to recommendations for a police investigation.
Burdensome Taxes:
During its tenure from 2015 to 2020, the APNU+AFC government in Guyana introduced a significant number of new taxes and fiscal measures. Initially, it was reported that approximately 200 new taxes and fees were implemented. However, subsequent assessments indicated that the actual number exceeded 350.
These fiscal measures encompassed a wide range of areas, including:
Value Added Tax (VAT) Extensions: The government expanded VAT to previously exempted or zero-rated items and services, such as water, electricity, education, healthcare, data services, and domestic travel.
Increased Licence Fees: There were significant hikes in fees for various licences, including those for vehicles, trading, and betting shops.

Road-Traffic Fees: Fees associated with road traffic and vehicle registrations saw substantial increases.

Airport Departure Tax and Airline Ticket Taxes: Travellers faced higher costs due to increased taxes on airline tickets and airport departure fees.

Professional Fees and Revenue Stamps: Professionals experienced elevated fees, and there were increases in the cost of revenue stamps on passports.
These measures were met with criticism from various sectors, as they placed additional financial burdens on citizens and businesses, impacting significantly the economic growth and the cost of living in Guyana. The subsequent administration, led by the PPP/C, reversed many of these taxes to alleviate the economic strain on the populace.
2020:
The 2020 general and regional elections in Guyana was marred by electoral fraud involving the incumbent APNU+AFC coalition.
Election Day and Initial Count:
On March 2, 2020, Guyana held its general and regional elections. The initial voting process was largely deemed free, fair, and credible. However, during the tabulation of results, particularly for Region Four, irregularities emerged. The Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo, announced results that did not align with the Statements of Poll (SOPs) held by various political parties and observers. This discrepancy led to widespread concerns about the integrity of the tabulation process.
International observer missions, including those from the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States (OAS), the European Union (EU), and the Carter Center, raised alarms over the lack of transparency and credibility in the tabulation process for Region Four. They collectively stated that the results for Region Four were not credible and urged the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ensure an accurate and transparent count. Subsequently, legal challenges were mounted to prevent the declaration of results based on the disputed tabulation.
In response to both domestic and international pressure, a national recount of votes was initiated and completed on June 8, 2020. The recount indicated that the then opposition PPP/C had won the majority of votes. Despite this, the Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield, submitted reports invalidating over 115,000 votes, which, if accepted, would have favoured the APNU+AFC coalition. These actions were met with further legal challenges and condemnation from international bodies.
International Sanctions and Pressure:
The protracted electoral impasse and apparent attempts to alter the election results led to international repercussions. The United States imposed visa restrictions on individuals deemed complicit in undermining democracy in Guyana. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo explicitly called for the resignation of President David Granger. Similarly, the United Kingdom and Canada expressed concerns and urged a peaceful transfer of power based on credible election results.
Resolution:
After five months of political stalemate, on August 2, 2020, GECOM declared Dr Irfaan Ali of the PPP/C as the duly elected President of Guyana. This declaration was based on the recount results, which had been validated by both local courts and international observers. President Ali was subsequently sworn into office, bringing an end to the electoral crisis.
Given what Guyanese would have experienced under their “partnership” it begs the question, what would coming together again to contest the 2025 elections achieve in their minds? Do they feel that Guyanese would somehow forget the injustices that the APNU cold heartedly orchestrated upon all of Guyana, even its own constituents and the complicit support they achieved in doing so with the AFC at their side?
Worthy of note, is that current leader of the PNC, Aubrey Norton has already declared that any partnership would only result in him being the presidential candidate.
Having experienced the acute failure that this contemplated partnership in the above-mentioned exact configuration would have produced, any logical person can only deduce that this current contemplated partnership holds no meaningful significance against the context of what we as Guyanese experienced from 2015-2020.
It might sound like a cliché, but those who forget the past are bound to repeat it. I personally suffered enough under the “partnership” of the APNU+AFC from 2015 to 2020. It is for this reason I submit this letter, as it seems that our politicians have already forgotten the past. I haven’t.
Your sincerely,
Concerned Citizen