Vacant VC post going to AFC will be opposition show of unity

AN ALLIANCE FOR CHANGE (AFC) CANDIDATE SHOULD BE GIVE THE
REGIONAL VICE CHAIRMAN’S POST as a show of unity in the main parliamentary
opposition coalition party.
When Douglas Gittens, Vice Chairman of Upper Demerara/Berbice (Region Ten) succumbed to
the corona virus ailment, there was a fresh, even cynical look at the six-year-old Cummingsburg
Accord brokered between the AFC and the Peoples National Congress (PNC) which helped
launch the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) the coalition party which eventually
defeated the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) at the 2015 polls.
It was a flawed document and Douglas’ death helped highlight weaknesses now that his
replacement has to be found.
“It’s important that both parties come together and ensure that they support each other so it
would be fair to have it (the Regional Vice Chairman position) given to an AFC person,” a party
supporter explained to www.aroundtheregions.com
According to the AFC supporter, “The government will be looking on to ensure that whatever
difference that is taking place within the coalition to score political points. As such, both APNU
and AFC have an opportunity to correct whatever misconception that is out there. It’s time that
they show unity among themselves. They can do this by following Region Seven in ensuring that
the AFC gets the Regional Vice Chairman position.”
There are others however, who openly criticized the AFC for political shortsightedness,
especially with respect to the Regional Electoral system. They have pilloried the AFC for not
ensuring a party supporter gets the Vice Chairman post in key bastions of the political
opposition.
In the case of Region Ten, a historic political fortress of the major PNC the terms of the 2015
Cummingsburg made no specific reference to ensuring the post is reserved for an AFC candidate

in Region Ten. They are outraged that both senior positions are controlled by the major coalition
partner, the APNU.

“At the time of crafting this document there was so much going on that we were unable to go
through every detail of the document. As a matter of fact, ensuring that the basic things were in
place was of more interest rather than who gets what. It’s a mistake that we have recognised (in
hindsight) and will seek to correct (it) because it’s no secret that we still have a very large
following of AFC supporters in Region Ten,” an AFC official explained.
Meanwhile, a former senior AFC supporter insisted that the failure by the party heads to ensure
specifics were documented in the Accord was a demonstration of their inefficiencies. He said
this flaw was at the centre of the outrage expressed by the Party’s General Secretary, Mr. David
Patterson, over the election of the Vice Chairman in Region Four. But in fairness to the APNU,
the Cummingsburg Accord made no reference to elections of the VC of Region Ten. This, he
observed, was because there was no bargain and/or agreement for the AFC to secure this
position.
“You saw when Patterson resigned it was because he felt that the APNU had gone against their
pre-agreement of ensuring that the position goes to someone from AFC. There was no noise
about Region Ten, because in their deliberations and discussion, Region Ten was never included.
However, what is puzzling us is that Region Ten has a significant following of AFC supporters
and yet both RC and RVC positions went to APNU.”
“It’s obvious that it’s time for APNU+AFC to return to the discussion table and include that. I
think that if another APNU person is elected to the position it would read further disaster for
AFC as its becoming more evident that their usage by APNU is not out of love and affection but
rather seeking to use them so as to secure what the APNU really wants,” the former AFC
member declared.

Was it oversight or ignorance?

AFC has selected Mr. Norris King for the vacant VC post, and many feel he will triumph if there
were a secret ballot. But in an open ballot, PNC’s Eleze Hall-Benjamin is sure to triumph,
making her the second female to hold the post in the bauxite-mining municipality.
www.aroundtheregions.com understands that PNC General; Secretary, Ms. Amna Ally, fearing
some of her Regional Democratic Council (RDC) members back the election of King to the post,
has now demanded vote by secret ballot to choose the new VC.
AFC Party Leader, Mr. Kemraj Ramjattan, could not be reached.