Internal conflict brewing in AFC camp – senior member

– party’s “big three” seem concerned only with power and control

Another leadership duel is taking place within the camp of Guyana’s third largest political party, the Alliance For Change (AFC), that is having a debilitating impact on its grassroots support, image and credibility. The party holds eight seats in Parliament.
A senior member of the AFC, who spoke with Guyana Times International on Tuesday on condition of anonymity, claimed that the internal conflicts are so many that quite soon some leaders may be engaged in a “fist fight”, as the differences appear “irreconcilable”.
The member explained that the struggle between what he referred to as the “big three” in the party for power and control has not only turned off hundreds of grassroots supporters, but has led to factionalism at every level of the party, and serving as a deterrent to newcomers.
“All Moses Nagamootoo, Khemraj Ramjattan and Nigel Hughes appear to be concerned about is who should be controlling things within the party, and who gets the post of presidential candidate,” the party official said.
“They appear unconcerned about internal party democracy and other issues which are eating away at our existence.”
The AFC member stated that all is not well with the party, as members are struggling to have their say and be respected for their impartial and independent positions.
Breakdown
He noted that things have gotten worse with the entrance of Nagamootoo and the election of Hughes as chairman, as both men, whom he said he respected initially, appear obsessed with media spotlight and becoming the party’s presidential candidate.
He said persons who voted for the AFC have been seeking to remain calm, but are monitoring the internal conflicts and divisions as they widen each week.
“The party fails to deal with corruption charges against their own members, but continues to accuse the ruling administration of wrongdoings. Every day I see a different concern being raised by supporters, but Ramjattan and Hughes are too busy lambasting the government to have time to pay attention to these worrisome patterns and attitudes that are developing internally,” he said.
Afraid of victimization

The member pointed out that he wanted to bring all of these issues to the nation’s attention, but was too afraid to be named, saying the party’s leadership would certainly victimise him or even expel him.
He reminded this newspaper of how the party dealt with Attorney Gumattie Singh back in 2006, and recalled the party leadership’s condemnation of Yusuff Haseef, after he made public his allegations about another Member of Parliament Veerasammy Ramayah.
Conflicts, divisions and internal strife are not new to the AFC, which had promised that it would offer Guyanese a type of leadership and politics that differed significantly from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
Since its formation to contest the 2006 polls, concerns have been raised about the party’s internal strength and democracy, which saw only a few leaders dominating and imposing their views on the members, then later passing it off as an AFC position.
The party’s internal rift dates back to the leadership duel between now House Speaker Raphael Trotman and Khemraj Ramjattan over who should be the party leader and virtually the presidential candidate back in 2011.
The AFC has been criticised for following elitist norms and policies, which sees its power remaining in the hands of a few, to the detriment of the masses, which it claims it supports.
Back on the campaign trail, former President Bharrat Jagdeo had warned voters in 2011 to be aware of what he referred to as the “unholy alliance” that the AFC wanted to enter into with the APNU after the elections.
Jagdeo’s warnings have now borne fruit, as the AFC/APNU now appears to operate as one unit loyal to each other in the Parliament, while seeking at politically convenient times to upstage each other, especially if media limelight is involved.