PNC/PPP wary Guyanese could break deadlock, give AFC Office SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS - Ramkarran It could well be that after over two decades each with the Peoples National Congress (PNC) and the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) in office, Guyanese are ready to break the deadlock and give the Alliance For Change (AFC) the benefit of the doubt. But the AFC will have to earn it against formidable opponents with entrenched and historic claims to loyalty. This is the view held by former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, who in his latest writings, weighed in on the Moses Nagamootoo, Nigel Hughes ticket that the party leadership is currently promulgating as it relates to contesting the next General Elections. Ramkarran did warn however that Guyana has not been kind to third parties and it will be equally unkind to the AFC unless it articulates a full gamut of policy choices based on elements of a core philosophy that distinguishes it from the main political parties but which emphasizes constitutional reform to end gridlock, job creation, poverty alleviation, anti-corruption, and economic growth other than from the ‘magic’ of private enterprise. Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarra Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarra The veteran politician argues that the AFC can no longer rely on dissatisfaction with the two main political parties or innovative leadership decisions in order to attract support. “Its support from the PNC in 2006 disappeared in 2011…Its support from the PPP’s disgruntled supporters in 2011 can equally disappear in 2016.” According to Ramkarran, speculation suggests that the PPP will go to the polls with an ‘A’ team as in 1997. “If I were Donald Ramotar, I would feel insulted by any suggestion that my candidacy needs the addition of a third, younger, person to give it any help.” He noted too that the removal of Sam Hinds, as has been rumoured, even his ‘voluntary’ resignation after such ‘distinguished service’ to the PPP, will expose the absence of an African Guyanese from among the top leadership of the PPP who can command a second or even third place on his/her own merits. He noted too that the PNCR has its own challenges and has suffered serious divisions within recent times. “These were searingly exposed at its recent Congress when a large number of Linden delegates complained about being disenfranchised and there were ‘scuffles’ resulting in a gunshot being fired.” According to Ramkarran, it is clear that Opposition Leader Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, is having difficulty in reconciling important elements in the PNCR with his leadership. Ramkarran warns that young voters, who are the single largest bloc, are not as affected as the older generation by the narratives of the past, and appear to be more amenable to the influence of the AFC. “But it is difficult to tell whether the AFC support among youth is confined only to the educated and/or middle class only and whether the much larger portion of working and unemployed youth remain influenced by the traditional messages of the older parties…The AFC would know that to make a significant impact it must influence this latter section of the youth.” Ramkarran surmises that while the AFC, the youngest of the three parties, has now demonstrated the capacity to embrace fresh thinking in choosing candidates, the two older parties will be fielding those who have already registered losses for their parties. “The parties’ agendas will contain nothing about breaking the deadlock even if one party wins a majority…condemning the Guyanese people to more of the same – one political party lording it over a ‘bi-communal’ society with a broken political system would be a great disservice to the Guyanese people.” Ramkarran recalled that the AFC was established at the time when dissatisfaction with the PNCR was mounting, temporarily as it turned out, and the goodwill for the PPP at the fringes of its support base was becoming frayed. “It has been able to get the benefit from such dissatisfaction with both parties, which has not subsided. However, this by itself does not guarantee a repeat of 2006 or 2011 or a combination of both.” According to Ramkarran, the AFC at the next elections will want to retain the support it took from the PPP in 2011 and recover from the PNCR that which it lost. He observed that Nagamootoo was seen as the AFC leader who attracted that PPP support. Hughes has been active in the African Guyanese community while sustaining political activity across the ethnic and geographic spectrum. According to Ramkarran, he is seen within the AFC as having the potential of attracting much youth support.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 19:42:10 +0000
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