Dear Editor,
The AFC, from all indications, is operating as a separate dictatorship faction within the Coalition Government. This gets into the realm of promoting corruption when the current situation is analyzed.
The reinstatement of an NCN Berbice branch official is a glowing tribute to cronyism and corruption in the AFC, and its intolerance of transparency and accountability. This person was sent on administrative leave for 10 months, and was paid full salary with all benefits. Now the person is back on the job despite evidence surfacing during the investigation to warrant this person’s dismissal. According to statements given by the staff who were dismissed, this official instructed them to prepare ‘fake invoices’ and to make ‘fake log’ entries.
The reason for this person’s reinstatement would have been because of a ‘good relationship’ with the same AFC Minister who is in charge of NCN.
The CEO of NCN was apparently instructed by this high ranking Minister to reinstate this person.
The recent firing of Chronicle columnists David Hinds and Lincoln Lewis was allegedly done at the behest of this high ranking AFC Minister. In a letter to the press, Mr Hinds stated that, ‘a senior AFC Minister has, over time, been raising at the Cabinet level the issue of Hinds’ and Lewis’s columns. It was that same minister who gave instructions to the Editor-in-Chief to axe the columns’.
He added that, ‘the Chronicle and the rest of the State media are controlled by the AFC as part of the distribution of spoils after the election. The Prime Minister has direct oversight of this sector’. Even two top AFC members who are members of the Board allegedly rubber-stamped the decision to fire the columnists, according to Hinds’s letter.
It can be seen from the two examples that the same Senior Minister gave instructions to reinstate the person spoken about at NCN, and to fire the reputable and independent columnists.
These two actions will not improve the already poor image of the AFC and its disappearing supporters. Apart from being silent on many important issues, what is clearly manifested is the AFC’s promotion of corruption and its dictatorship tendencies.
I also have compelling evidence to support the allegation that AFC’s most prominent and well-respected member in Berbice, Mr Gobin Harbhajan, is extremely disgruntled and disappointed with some of his AFC colleagues. This gentleman has been the only face of the AFC in Berbice, and has been doing a fantastic job in the resolution of many problems facing Berbicians.
Berbice is vitally important for the survival of the AFC, but it seems that the AFC leaders are quite content with their ‘good life,’ and no longer care about continued existence of the AFC. At this point, there is only one person who is keeping the AFC alive in Region 6, and that is Mr Gobin Harbhajan, a man who is not corrupt, and is dedicating his energies to assist persons in various communities. I am sure he has a large following, and should he decide to walk away from the AFC, then a lot of supporters will follow him.
Mr Harbhajan should seriously think about his political future and the need to be of continued service to his fellowmen.
Yours sincerely,
Doodnauth Jagmohan
