AFC calls on US members to urge relatives to vote APNU AFC

Chairman of the AFC’s New York/New Jersey Chapter, Dr. Rohan Somar called on attendees at a fund-raising event in South Ozone Park, Queens, New York to embark on a massive telephone campaign to their friends and relatives in Guyana to urge them to vote for the coalition.

Enthusiastic reception for Granger in NY.

“Each and everyone of you let’s commit to a cause- members of the Diaspora to have phone calls from the Diaspora to our friends in Guyana,” he said.

AFC APNU Plan for Rupununi

Valerie Lowe on the campaign trail

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) have decided to craft a rescue plan to improve the living conditions of the residents of the Rupununi (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) Region (Region No. 9).

APNU and AFC conducted outreaches to over fifty villages in the north central and south savannahs so far this year. Interaction with hundreds of residents and visits to villages indicate clearly that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration has been hampering the Region’s economic and social development and hindering the happiness and welfare of the people living there.

David Granger -Presidential candidate APNU AFC

The Rupununi – larger than Costa Rica – is Guyana’s largest region. It is, however, the poorest. The results of PPP/C incompetence, after over two decades, have been the unsettled Indigenous land issues, an unsatisfactory education system and underdeveloped infrastructure. APNU+AFC will introduce the following reforms:

Land reform: Many communities are not satisfied with the lands allocated to them. Large tracts of land have been given out as mining and forestry concessions. APNU+AFC will sit down with communities and re-examine their claims with a view to settling them once and for all.

Education reform: Many children have been failing all four subjects at the annual National Grade Six Assessment examinations.Dropout rates for boys and girls in primary and secondary schools are high. APNU+AFC will ensure that schools are fully staffed and properly equipped. The Coalition will also  establish a Rupununi Technical Institute and a Rupununi Agricultural Institute.

Infrastructure reconstruction: APNU+AFC will invest in infrastructure to ensure that roads are made more accessible in any weather and bridges are reconstructed and made more sturdy. The cost of living is high largely because of the administration’s reluctance to invest in building the essential Annai-Achawib and Lethem-Linden highways.

The APNU+AFC Coalition is committed to ensuring that access to the information super highway would be made easier. Without information technology, the Region’s residents would not be able to receive the quality information, communication and education they need in their everyday lives. An APNU+AFC administration would provide distance education to enable students to pursue degree and diploma courses at the University of Guyana.

The APNU+AFC, five-day campaign travelled to Achawib, Aishalton, Awarewanau, Katoonarib, Potarinau, Sand Creek, Sawariwau, Shea and Shulinab and other mainly Wapishana villages in the South and Apoteri, Annai, Aranaputa, Crashwater, Fairview, Kwaimatta, Kwattamang, Massara, Rewa, Rupertee, Surama, Toka, Yakarinta  and other Macushi villages in the north.

Why the PPP/C have a fight on their hands

The PPP/C finds itself in a situation where it has been forced to go to the electorate and ask for a new mandate.

Leaders for a new time

Just three years ago, that electorate reduced them to a minority government.

The AFC made inroads into PPP/C strongholds. In that election the leader of the AFC was not Moses Nagamootoo. Moses is a long time seasoned campaigner for the PPP/C. He was not only a member of their key leaders but was on the list of five persons who might have been the PPP candidate for President 2011. Moses has been one of the leading campaigners for the PPP for decades. In 2006 the leadership of the PPP/C leadership begged Moses to return to the campaign platform after sidelining him from the spotlight since 2000.

In your hands the key to moving forward

The PPP are now forced to campaign in their strongholds against someone who is familiar with their campaign strategy and their election network. Moses Nagamootoo is a charismatic person, an eloquent speaker and seasoned election campaigner. He has high name and image recognition. His wife Sita is also a long time campaigner well recognized by PPP supporters. She was a head teacher for a high school in central Georgetown and is therefore a cross over figure.

Moses has been with Dr. Jagan since 1961

The task for the PPP/C is not an easy one. In 2011 they lost voters to the AFC and a significant number of their supporters stayed away from the polls. They have sought to demonize Moses as a traitor. They have also told voters that the AFC have betrayed the party ideals. They are hoping to win back those who voted against them as well as those who stayed away.

Moses with his political mentors

Many businessmen will tell you that it is difficult to win back customers because they left for a reason or for reasons. Then do not go back easily. This PPP/C charge of deception works both ways. The AFC can claim that the PPP/C has betrayed the ideals and values of Dr. Jagan. The AFC can say that it Ramotar and Jagdeo who are the traitors. Dr. Jagan’s son has publicly chastised the present PPP/C leadership for moving away from core PPP values, which his father cemented in the party. His daughter also publicly said that her parents values and lifestyle were far removed from the present PPP/cJo  There is also the public incident where Mr. Jagdeo told Mrs. Jagan that she was just a private citizen when she attempted to get get him to stop his campaign against Stabroek News.

David Granger campaigning

Going beyond race-The Obamas in India

Moses has proved his loyalty to the PPP. Twice he resigned the high post of minister on grounds that many can identify with. In the first case he walked away from a major post to pursue studies in law at University. He chose to mix with young people to acquire the skills he felt were needed to effectively make decisions at leadership level. In this time he not only got insights into the thinking of young people in both Guyana and Trinidad but also formed a close friendship with Winston Murray. Murray was a likable and visionary leader of the PNC. Many thought that he would have been the first PNC leader to break the mold of only black leaders for the party. Sadly he died before achieving this.

In the second situation Moses left the ministerial post because he was troubled by the influence he felt that criminal elements had on the party. He, however, thought that he could remain and wait for an opportunity to turn things around. So for 10 years he quietly stayed in the background. Finally in 2011 he recognized that the small cabal at the top of the party would not allow anyone to change its direction.

David & Sandra Granger Moses & Sita Nagamootoo

Moses and his wife have remained loyal to ideals and values, which Dr. Jagan set for the party. Those who still support the party but who are not happy with the Jagdeo direction have a chance to join the APNU/AFC and strengthen and ideals of Dr. Jagan’s within that groupimg. It is interesting that that PPP/C received over 6000 signatures asking Mr. Jagdeo to be the prime ministerial candidate. This shows that there is a real division within the party in their stronghold. These signatures came from region six voters.

74 Days to go for moment of sweeping change in Guyana

#Guyanese will take their future in their hands. They will courageously and boldly choose to lift the country to a new phase of political unity and inclusion of all groups in national decision making.
#nationalunityinguyana
, #apnuafc
#Guyana

A United Slate will win in Guyana--Moses Nagamootoo

AFC-mania afire! Well, it has caught on at last, that AFC is leading the change, not only of a minority government, but in the way detractors see us. AFC has taken centre-stage before but especially after the Valentine Day (Cummingsburg) Accord, and more particularly after the historic handshake and embrace between David Granger and myself as leaders of an Alliance slate. Street people that it's the "Dagga/Nagga" combo.

David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo

Looking shaken and frightened, Clement Rohee saw the Accord for National Unity as AFC signing its death warrant. He threatened: "who ain't dead, will be badly wounded".

Rohee is national security minister and he ought to be taken seriously. Under his watch, peaceful protesters have been shot and killed, and innocent rice farmers tear-gassed, one stripped naked, then hauled away to the lock-ups. 

Moses Nagamootoo

But we didn't expect the AFC-mania to infect Junior Minister Edghill, who ripped the Bible apart when he described the mighty Moses and brave David as "betrayers". He has clearly gone over the edge.

However, it was Ramsammy, a third minister, who got bassidy over AFC's alliance move, and tripped over himself, saying that the Coalition has enhanced their chance for a win on May 11, then quickly retracted and denied what was at first an honest opinion. Like Urkle, he was heard murmuring all day: "did I say that?"

AFC-APNU or APNU-AFC alliance is right now the biggest show on the road. United slates worked in Sri Lanka and, just today, in St. Kitts-Nevis.

It will win for all Guyanese on May 11. It will win big!

Gov't to challenge Opposition committee vote in court

From Demerara Waves

Written by Kwesi Isles    Wednesday, 07 March 2012 15:31

The government is heading to court to challenge the constitutionality of an opposition move in parliament which has left it with less committee representation than it believes it deserves.

At his weekly post-Cabinet news briefing on Wednesday Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon said they will be addressing the matter at the parliamentary and judicial levels.

“Motions have been drafted and I suspect have already been presented at the level of parliament questioning those decisions and requesting the House to declare them null and void. The governing party is approaching the constitutional court to have those same remedies provided,” he said.

Contacted afterward AFC Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan said that it was well within the ambit of the parliament to decide on the composition of the committees.

“Judges ought not to be deciding on matters in the legislative since the constitution leaves the matter up to the members of parliament,” he stated.

According to Ramjattan, if it is a case that they are in breach of the constitution then he is glad that the government is heading to court and not “terrorising” the opposition like they are doing with the Guyana Cricket Board.  

AFC Executive member, Moses Nagamootoo expected the government to have its "merry way" in court unless it could prove that parliament's vote has violated the constitution or other law. "We will welcome any challenge that he (Luncheon) may wish to raise in and outside of the courts on this issue."

Nagamootoo accused the PPPC of using the court to play delaying tactics in holding up the work of the committees. "The fact is that do so is, I believe, a filibuster is to prevent the committes from being formed, to prevent the committees from working, and to sabotage what could have been a new and exciting journey working parliamentary democracy in Guyana," he said.

The issue at hand is the AFC and APNU on February 10 voting to change the membership of the committees from 10 representatives to nine with the PPP/C and APNU having four each and the AFC one. The ruling party which has the most seats in the House but one less than the combined opposition was in favour of 10 representatives per committee with it having five, the APNU four and the AFC one.

But the opposition MPs said the government’s proposal would lead to gridlock and they used their one seat majority to defeat the PPP/C motion and ruled that the Committee of Selection would have nine members.

On Wednesday Dr. Luncheon said the opposition’s imposition violates the “principle of proportionality of parties” and their seating in parliament and in committees of parliament.

According to Luncheon, the collaboration between the parliamentary opposition parties was leading o grossly unprincipled actions. He added that it was a betrayal of parliamentary norms and an abuse of constitutional provisions.”

At the last sitting the PPP/C government had argued that it should have the largest representation on the committees since it won the most votes at the November 28 polls.

“Whether there is a combined opposition or not is of no relevance now, the issue is the strength of each party and there is not a minority on the government side. It is incongruous to think of a party that gets 49.230 percent of the votes having the same number of seats in a committee, four, as the party that got 40 percent of the votes (APNU) and therefore one has to deal with balance and fairness,” government MP Gail Teixeira had argued.

The combined opposition parties had also maintained their position on the nine-member composition of the other committees when the Committee of Selection met recently and Dr. Luncheon said the Cabinet is “unwilling to accept the dispensation and was inclined to confront the wrongdoings.”

Opposition calls for long-term strategy to counter vicious flooding cycle

The Opposition has called on the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration to implement a national strategy to break the cycle of flooding that has been repeatedly plaguing all the regions of the country in recent years.

A Partnership for National Unity A Partnership for National Unity pointed out that the December-January-February rainy season, when the heaviest rains seem to occur, has become a time of annual anguish for most of the population. Despite the high cost of damage to homes, loss of crops and spread of water-borne and vector-borne disease over the years, the administration has never implemented a national, long-term, comprehensive counter-flooding strategy. It seems inclined to pursue the short-term tactic of providing relief and compensation to flood victims rather than the long-term task of improving the infrastructure to prevent flooding.

Farmers and other residents all across the country – from along the Aruka River in Region 1; to the Pomeroon River in Region 2; Canals Polder in Region 3; Mahaica River in Region 4; Mahaicony River in Region 5 and Yakusari in the Black Bush Polder in Region 6 – are suffering from the current floods which started in early January.

Hinterland residents still remember how the floods – at Waramadong in Region 7, at Mahdia in Region 8; in the Rupununi in Region 9 and at Kwakwani in Region 10 – also wrought havoc with their lives in 2010 and 2011. No part of the country seems has ever been safe from the scourge of floods.

The system of coastal conservancies and canals has been compromised by the decline of the sugar plantation system and the rise of new housing schemes and townships.  This has been aggravated by poor solid waste management; neglect of the drainage and irrigation infrastructure, including kokers, the deliberate destruction of drainage canals to facilitate construction of houses by ‘dry-weather’ contractors and rising sea levels owing to global warming.

APNU pointed out that the PPPC administration, after more than 19 years in office, cannot blame anyone but itself for the repetitive, annual disastrous flooding. Climate change and rising sea levels will not disappear overnight and the administration has to be aware that – at least since the catastrophic ‘Great Flood’ of 2005 – weather patterns will never be the same again.  It must be clear that the current ad hoc measures to provide relief and compensation to victims cannot solve the problem of annual floods. The PPPC administration must formulate a strategic plan to protect our people from this yearly distress.