Top officials in the Alliance For Change (AFC) are split over the question of whether incumbent leader Khemraj Ramjattan can accept a third term in office, given the fact that the party’s constitution states that party leaders cannot serve more than two consecutive terms.
AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan
According to AFC co- founder and Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, the AFC leadership should indeed be rotated and limited to facilitate movement within the party. He noted that when he helped draft the constitution, this was the intention.
Trotman, who made this statement in other sections of the media, stated his belief that this should be adhered to unless there was an extraordinary situation.
“The delegates will, of course, have a right to choose. But I believe that we should try to adhere to the constitution unless the delegates feel otherwise…I believe that it is something the delegates would have to make a decision on.”
“So definitely, it does not say ‘shall’ like the Constitution (of Guyana), but I believe the intention of the framers of the AFC constitution – and I was certainly one of them – was to ensure that there was movement. And we should do our best to ensure that we honour the spirit of the (AFC) constitution…I believe that this is something the delegates would have to ponder and make a decision on,” he had gone on to say.
AFC co-founder Raphael Trotman
Trotman had acknowledged that the AFC’s constitution did not make it “absolute” that the seat of leadership be rotated. However, he reiterated that “the spirit and intent” of the phrase ‘ought to rotate’ was to ensure there was “a constant flow”.
When contacted on Sunday, both Trotman and Ramjattan declined to comment further on the matter. Previously, however, Ramjattan had affirmed that the provisions in Article 19 (1) were not exclusionary.
Article 19 (1) of the party’s constitution states that no leader would be allowed to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office, in the interest of “a broader activism in leadership positions by the membership”.Since Ramjattan had announced that he would be open to a third term, his stance has drawn criticism from different sections of society. Political activist, Dr David Hinds has noted that this has opened Ramjattan up to criticism about double standards.
Ramjattan was elected as AFC Leader in 2012, his stint lasting for four years, or the equivalent of two terms. According to Article 7 of the party’s constitution, “A national convention shall be held every two years at a place and time decided by the National Executive Committee.”
It is here that elections for the positions of party Leader, Chairman, Vice Chairman, General Secretary and 12 National Executive Members will be held.
Although Ramjattan will be looking to be re-elected to serve in the leadership capacity, he is expected to face stiff competition for the post at the upcoming elections, which will be held at the party’s National Executive Conference (NEC) later this month.
In addition to Ramjattan, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes are seen as contenders for the post.
The AFC’s NEC will be hosted on January 28 at the Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary School in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) – the party’s first NEC outside of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
