AFC Region Ten Councillors Contemplating Participation in Council

Sources inside of the Alliance for Change Region Ten camp, have disclosed to this media house
that they are contemplating their participation in the ninth Council of the RDC Region Ten. This,
they said is because of what they described as an ‘open eye’ coup by APNU General Secretary
Amna Ally.
They disclosed that a few hours before the swearing in of the Regional Councillors and the
election of Regional Chairman and Regional Vice Chairman, they were informed by Ms. Ally
that she had received a signed letter from the AFC’s General Secretary David Patterson,
instructing that they unanimously support the APNU’s Vice Chairman’s choice.
“We found this very troubling and I know that one of my AFC colleagues questioned this so-
called letter, as Ms. Ally didn’t show us any letter but told us about it. We were already at the
Watooka Guest House and therefore many of us were determined to go through with our plan of
electing our choice as we were confident that Councillors were going to vote by way of secret
ballot,” one of the AFC’s Councillor said.
A source within the AFC speaking to www.aroundtheregions.com confirmed that the only
regions that they were plans for were Regions Four and Seven, where it was agreed that the
Regional Chairman will go to the APNU and the Regional Vice Chairman to the AFC. However,
one of the AFC Region Ten Councillor said that in discussion with several senior party members
of the AFC, it was agreed that there should be lively debate and discussion with the ‘best’ person
being elected.
“We were all looking forward to an election as, while APNU senior party officials wanted Deron
Adams, there were some Councillors within the APNU camp who felt that Deron wasn’t a good
choice and like the Vice Chairman position, there were going to be heated elections for this
post,” the Councillor said.
He continued, “As a matter of fact many within the AFC felt that Douglas Gittens was a better
choice and some of us were prepared to support him, while some had a different opinion.”
The Councillor when quizzed as to who they thought was going to be elected as the Regional
Vice Chairman, was quick to point out that there were at least two persons from the AFC who
was determined to go after each other. The former Regional Vice Chairman in Elroy Adolph and
Norris King. However, King immediately declined the nomination after one of his party
members, Coretta Braithwaite nominated him. “This is pure nonsense and the reality is that
APNU continues to destroy bridges and this will see persons walking away from the party as if
they cannot honour agreements made between them and their coalition partners, what more can
they honour,” an AFC Councillors asked.
The Councillor said that a meeting is expected to be held later this week where the party will
examine several options. However, two Councillors expressed the view that the party (AFC)
should operate independently within the RDC Region Ten Council, noting that the actions of the
APNU and more in particular its General Secretary leaves much to be desired.

“This is not the ay mature and responsible politicians operate. We are of the view that the
APNU/AFC is in operation so allow the Government of the day to do what it says it will do so as
t the end we are not accused of stagnating progress or attempting to block the residents and
people of Region Ten from a number of developmental projects, including jobs,” one of the
evidently peeved Councillor said.
The Councillor added, “One admirable trait of the outgoing Regional Chairman is that he knew
diplomacy very well and ensured that people came first in whatever he sought and or benefited
from government”.
It was disclosed that former Health Minister Volda Lawrence and former Advisor to former
President David Granger, Aubrey Norton were in Linden on Saturday and Sunday where they
met with several Councillors. The Councillors were told about the party wishes, however several
expressed disapproval as they felt that the Councillors should elect their choice. “Volda and
Aubrey left on Sunday and we thought that on Monday everyone would go to the swearing in
with the objective of electing whoever best they think should be elected as many of us had told
both Volda and Aubrey in no uncertain ways that we were not in support of ther suggesting that
they brought to us,” the source related.