Amid a fallout locally over the integrity of two of its key executives, the Alliance For Change (AFC) is now faced with more trouble – with one of its top financiers in New York, Shamir Ally resigning and three other prominent figures there signalling their intention to join the main opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). The AFC only last week had confirmed that Ally had resigned from the party over the leadership’s apparent reluctance to address his concerns.
Denial
AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan was reported as denying that no action was taken. “We did take some severe measures against those persons who did hurl those abusive remarks, but we just could not have, in effect, enforce because it’s very difficult,” Ramjattan was quoted in another section of the media as saying.
The three latest persons believed to have left the party are economist Tarron Khemraj, political science professor Dr Asquith Rose and businessman Rab Mukraj from the party’s New York group.
Speculation abounded when the APNU released a statement on Wednesday revealing that Leader of the Opposition, David Granger and shadow minister for public works, Joseph Harmon, met with Khemraj, Rose and Mukraj in New York to discuss the way forward for the country.
The release added that the two sides examined the current economic, political and social situation in Guyana and concluded that a broad pro-Guyana approach was needed to stimulate movement towards the attainment of their common objectives.
It continued that “they agreed to work together to build structures to improve governance, promote national unity, and advance human development”.
Speaking with Guyana Times International late Wednesday evening, Ramjattan said, at the moment, the party is busy sorting out these reports, to provide some clarity.
Baffled
He disclosed that he communicated with Khemraj via email moments before speaking to this publication and he was baffled about what was going on.
The party leader said the AFC member informed him that the meeting with APNU was concerning Guyana’s diaspora.
Ramjattan added that, hence, he is certain out of the three, one is not going anywhere.
He continued, “I am certain the two might have been misreported in view of what the meeting was about and what Tarron told me.”
However, he was aware that Dr Rose has issues with the AFC going back on its stated position opposing the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project. The AFC leader added that he would spend all night if he had to, to sort the issue out and clear the air.
Another section of the media reported Rose as saying that “as much as 11 persons have decided to walk from the AFC…. several of them would go to APNU and the remainder back to the government People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C)”.
On Wednesday at the party’s press conference, Ramjattan said that AFC’s membership has increased drastically since the last regional and general elections in 2011.
He said the party received 1600 new applications since its national convention last year, bringing the overall membership to approximately 10,000.
