Dear Editor,
I had predicted the disintegration of the Coalition, and I predicted the demise of both the APNU and the AFC, and it is coming to pass. In the case of the AFC, it already came to pass, and with the PNC, it is happening with great speed.
It is not a difficult task to make these predictions, since these parties engineered their own destruction through the evil acts which they perpetrated on the Guyanese people whilst sanctimoniously preaching about delivering the ‘good life’. Over time, the PNC underestimated the intelligence of its own members and supporters, and felt it could continue to do the wrongdoings which characterised its past and expect to be voted into office. The PNC, under the guise of the Coalition, was given a fortuitous opportunity in 2015 to make amends for its destructive and evil past, but deliberately squandered it because of greed. The Party believed that it could blame the leadership for its electoral loss, and change that leadership and this would result in its members and supporters accepting that as a progressive act. Even changing the party’s name has been tried. However, the party has to make amends for its wrongdoings by re-engineering its entire modus operandi, including its choice of leadership.
Cassius made a profound statement to Brutus (in Julius Caesar), ‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves….’
The PNC cannot expect to commit gross ethnic atrocities, corruption, bankrupting and impoverishing an entire nation, and expect to retain power. But its modus operandi was that it would rig the elections and retain power as it had done in the past. The times have changed, but the PNC did not, and its gullible partner, the AFC, whose leader had fought against PNC riggings in the past, hypocritically saw the 2020 rigging attempts as ‘justifiable’(a true Machiavellian), and will not change. The AFC, having tasted the intoxication of power, was willing to hold on for dear life. Its leaders had become addicted to the good life. Now that the Valentine lovers have separated with a promise of a future reunion, the damage has been done, and Guyanese have witnessed for the second time that Coalition politics is destructive, since power grabbing is the paramount motive, the people never count.
The demise of the AFC began with resignations and withdrawal of support from its financial donors, and identical action now faces the PNC. I read in the press that the Florida Chapter of the PNC has filed a no-confidence motion against the PNC/R Leader Aubrey Norton. The motion stated that ‘The Party’s image has been severely tarnished and a large number of our members, supporters, and sympathizers have lost interest in this party. The business community from whom we got significant support has been withholding that support.’
In addition, Norton has failed to unify the Party. What is surprising though is that Norton is more concerned about his own survival, since he claimed that he is not worried, since he cannot be removed constitutionally. How can a leader not be concerned about the fragmentation of his party?
The members and supporters have realised that the only approach Norton has taken since assuming office as the PNC Leader is to revive the old destructive PNC strategies, which cannot transform the party and change its tarnished image. He has proven that he is incapable of reforming himself and the PNC/R. The same is true of the AFC, whose leaders have failed to deliver on the founding principles of the party. It may be true to assume that one of the founding leaders has jumped ship, so Ramjattan is all alone.
In conclusion, the massive socio-economic transformation which is once again taking place under the PPP/C Government will afford Guyanese to once and for all come to realisation that neither the PNC/R nor the AFC is good for Guyana, and this will put the final nails in the coffins of these parties, as their members and supporters continue to embrace the Irfaan Ali Administration.
The evil that Governments do surely lives after them, but this lesson is difficult for the PNC/R and the AFC leaders.
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf
