Former PM Rep resigns from AFC

…says party stopped keeping promises, leaders selfish

By Andrew Carmichael

Former Prime Ministerial Representative of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Gobin Harbhajan has reigned from the Alliance for Change (AFC).
In a letter dated August 28, 2020, and addressed to the General Secretary of the party, David Patterson, Harbhajan said he has been a long-standing member of the AFC over the past decade.

“When the party successfully took office in 2015, I diligently served and supported this winning multi-ethnic coalition Government to the best of my ability. From the inception, the goals values and standards were very much appreciated, and for that, I want to cherish my experience,” the letter seen by this publication stated.
However, Harbhajan noted that he no longer shares those sentiments and views.
“I am of the belief that the party was formed to serve the needs of our people and in my humble opinion those things which were once valued by the member of the party no longer exists,” Harbhajan said as he bid farewell to the party.
In an invited comment, AFC Chairman Raphel Trotman said he did not receive the letter but was informed by Harbhajan of his decision.
Trotman said he is aware that Harbhajan and many members on the AFC shared views on matters.
“He had clashes with some members of the party over issues that he did not agree with,” Trotman told this publication, adding that he has high regards for Harbhajan and wishes him well in his future endeavours.
“He has always proven to me that he is a people’s person and I will support him in that regard,” Trotman said while noting that his professionalism will not prevent Harbhajan from moving on.

Unkept promises
Meanwhile, speaking with Guyana Times on Friday, Harbhajan said after the party was a part of the winning coalition, he and the AFC started seeing things differently.
“It seems as if the party was not keeping its promises, so, we started seeing things differently,” he said.
His attraction to the AFC back in 2005 was as a result of its multi-ethnic outlook which was at the time being portrayed by Raphel Trotman, Sheela Holder and Khemraj Ramjattan.
“My idea for joining was to make a difference for Berbice but things changed after 2015, despite the AFC being very strong in Berbice. We kept marketing that we are for the people since 2005, but I don’t believe we as a party showed this after 2015.”
“We needed to do that. Especially the promises we made to our supporters.”

Rigged elections
According to Harbhajan, at the Local Government Elections in 2018, which the AFC contested separately from APNU, it was only able to get two seats in all from the 18 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and the three municipalities.
“They got one in New Amsterdam and a leftover seat at the Whim/Bloomfield NDC. Again I tried to share my views on what happening and what led to the poor showing at the elections.”
This, the Former Prime Ministerial Regional Representative said, was because of the persons who were selected to lead the Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) AFC team.
He made mention of the party’s election for its Regional Management Committee.
Back in 2018, there were three such elections held, the first was subsequently declared null and void after most of those invited to participate in the elections were from the Khemraj Ramjattan fraction of the party, leaving out members of the Moses Nagamootoo and Raphael Trotman fractions.
When the second elections were held, party members called for it to be squashed since Ramjattan’s “man of business” Derreck Basdeo was not mandated to hold the elections.
When the elections were held in March, many party members boycotted it, saying that the elections were being pushed so that persons close to Ramjattan will be holding office positions and eligible to vote at the national level, giving him a better chance to become the party’s Chairman and be the Prime Ministerial Candidate for the coalition.

Selfish leaders
According to Harbhajan, his mind was turned from the party at its conference in 2018, where he contested to be reelected to the party’s national Executive.
However, he did not tender his resignation.
“I continued to serve as an RDC Councillor working in the best interest of the people. And as PM Rep I had to assist and serve the people of the region with whatever resources available and with the help of the Regional Chairman,” Harbhajan pointed out.
Asked about the nine seats which the AFC will be taking up in the next Parliament, Harbhajan said the party is fortunate to be given so many seats.
He said that the leaders of the AFC became selfish and the Executives only “looks out for themselves.”
“Over the years I have been at loggerheads with the Executive. There is a power struggle at the top. The top bracket only looks out for themselves. The AFC will not get newcomers. I will like to see political parties with young new faces and ideas. I still have respect for a few members of the AFC like Trotman, Nigel Hughes and a few others,” Harbhajan added.