Dear Editor,
The Alliance For Change (AFC) is now faced with a hasty exodus of the remaining few of its honest, committed and hardworking members as the Local Government Election (LGE) approaches.
Two days ago, Gladwin Abdulla followed in his brother’s footsteps and resigned from the AFC and joined the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to campaign for the upcoming LGE. This move took me by surprise since Gladwin was totally determined that the coalition was the best solution to have ever happened to Guyana since ‘change’ will pervade the land and the ‘good life’ will enter the homes of the impoverished and corruption will be a distant memory. So I called him and sought an explanation for this drastic metamorphosis.
What I heard was the most pitiful tale from a neophyte politician caught in a corrupt web of deceit woven by his seasoned counterpart who thought they saw a gullible fly. I immediately recalled the poem, ‘The Spider and the Fly’ written by Mary Howitt (1799-1888). The Spider had said, “Will you walk into my parlour?” said the spider to the fly; “Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy”. Fortunately, Gladwin did not suffer the same fate as did the fly, the flattery did not last long and he soon saw through the façade of pretensions and hypocrisy peddled by the AFC Ministers and party officials.
He told me that various Ministers who visited Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) would often compliment him for the great work he was doing; both for the party and the residents in Region Six. His zest and zeal for community development was recognised by everyone and he claimed that he would even utilise his personal funds to do community works.
However, he explained that the corruption by the AFC officials was spiralling out of control and the AFC Ministers who regularly visited Region Six did not even bat an eyelid even though the media is replete with allegations of AFC corruption.
He further explained that the proverbial straw which finally broke the camel’s back was the $120 million road slashing contract which was awarded to mostly AFC members and officials. Gladwin also said the AFC members who were given the $120 million road slashing contract do not even have the financial resources to do the work and he had to act as a guarantor for a line of credit for them with two businessmen. But it got worse when only a few days ago he discovered that the workers from Number 19 Village were not even paid a dollar for the work they did on behalf of an AFC Executive member turn contractor. These workers went to his home in an aggressive mood and he had to explain to them that the contractor was holidaying in the US. After much harsh statements and the use of various expletives they left. Abdulla claimed that he was never so much embarrassed in his life since this is not the first time that he had to defend this particular AFC NEC member who is also a ‘corruption broker’.
Abdulla’s brother, who was an AFC NEC member, resigned soon after the coalition won the 2015 General Elections since he was also shocked by the high level of corruption which began in earnest as soon as the APNU/AFC Government took office. Both of these gentlemen are now campaigning on behalf of the PPP/C in the upcoming LGE.
Abdulla’s can be contacted to verify what I have written. He has given me permission to write what he told me.
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf
RDC Councillor, Region Six
