Change Guyana again

Dear Editor,
In 2018, I wrote that the lure for power and pecuniary gains will always rule paramount for third parties which were evidenced in 1964 and again in 2015 by both the UF and the AFC. The pretenders and the pretensions of these third parties are well documented. In fact, those in the AFC have squandered the opportunity to be patriots who can bring about the necessary changes to propel this country towards socio-economic growth.
In fact, they have joined not only hands but heart and soul with the PNC to bring destruction to the socio-fabric of this country. Without an iota of doubt, they have been utterly consumed by the PNC because of their greed and lust for power. Another third party just dissipated!
A few days ago, a new party desperately tried to woo me to join them in their quest to change Guyana. I listened attentively as the leader regurgitated the same principles which were exhaustively proclaimed by the AFC in its Action Plan launched in 2005 and amended in 2011. But this leader of this new Party was the financier of the AFC. It must also be recalled that at its formation, the founding leaders, Ramjattan and Trotman, had vowed never to coalesce with either the PPP or the PNC since they claimed that both had destroyed this country.
They had vowed to remain independent. This man told me exactly the same thing and I pointed out to him the similarity of his utterances but he said that he wanted to get rid of the PNC since they have taken the country on the road to destruction. I reminded him that he was instrumental in putting the PNC in power even though he is cognizant of the history of the PNC and the fact that it still comprises the same old die-hard PNC players.
After admitting that the main purpose of his involvement was to get rid of the PPP, I told him that he should, as an atonement for his misdeeds, now join hands with the PPP to get rid of the PNC since he cannot do it alone. Mr Badal should understand that when the focus is just to get rid of a Government for the sake of power and not because of socioeconomic policies then that effort is bound to fail.
Furthermore, Mr Badal is of the opinion that the re-opening of the closed estates will never happen and branded the proposal by the PPP as not practicable but just ‘foolishness’ and an impossibility. Was it not ‘foolishness’ when they were closed? It is a pity that Badal is so late in addressing the current state of GuySuCo, it would seem that it is only when a man becomes a Presidential Candidate, he sees the sufferings of his fellowmen.
Badal stood by the coalition when it destroyed the livelihood of 7000 workers and their families and he said and did absolutely nothing. Now he is “deeply disturbed at the level of poverty and unemployment” and described the closure as the “most uncaring and unpatriotic act of the Granger Administration”.
Where were you Badal? How can you travel the length of Region 6 since 2016 and not be appalled by the destruction you have supported? But alas! Now you need the votes of the sugar workers so you have experienced an epiphany of gigantic proportion! Sugar workers are not fools.
Moreover, what have you contributed to the struggle for democracy in this country? You were absolutely silent about the many corrupt acts of this coalition government, about their humongous salary increases, about the squandering of the reserves, about the harsh taxation increases, about the spiralling crime rate, about the closure of GuySuCo and the dismissal of thousands of workers and the list goes on ad infinitum. Then, since the unilateral and illegal appointment of Patterson as the GECOM Chairperson, you never uttered a word against it. Then, from December 21, 2019, the Granger Administration trampled on our Constitution and continued as though the CCJ’s rulings were in their favour, yet, you made no public statement but now you seem to have found your vocal cords!
In conclusion, any leader worth their salt must be willing to engage in the struggle for a free and fair election and a return to democracy in this country. The PPP has always been in the forefront of that struggle and instead of lambasting Jagdeo, you should thank him for his relentless fight against the new and worse PNC which you helped to install in Government and which you by your very action wants to remain there. Guyanese will never forgive those who destroyed the socioeconomic development made from 1992 until 2015! ‘Change’ is now a cuss word, ask the Alliance for Change!

Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf