Tag Archives: AFC

Guyana Politics: Things to do on a Honeymoon – by Ralph Ramkarran

Ralph Ramkarran

Ralph Ramkarran

Things to do on a Honeymoon

Posted on July 18, 2015 – by Ralph RamkarranConversation Tree Blog

It is only fair that the traditional honeymoon period of three months of the new APNU+AFC administration be exhausted before its performance is assessed. The Government has a plan against which a judgment will be made. It is called the hundred-day programme. Little is heard of it nowadays but we, the people, who are intended to be its beneficiaries, are looking forward anxiously to its fulfillment.

The public is not familiar with the inner workings of Governments and we acknowledge that urgent events are demanding attention. Last week it was the heavy rains and flooding which required top priority – a 4 am Cabinet meeting. It is not known if all Ministers were able to make it.   Continue reading

Alliances and Compromises in Guyana’s Politics – By Ralph Ramkarran

Alliances and Compromises in Guyana’s Politics

Ralph Ramkarran

   Ralph Ramkarran

By Ralph Ramkarran – February 21, 2015 conversationtree.gy blog

The Cummingsburg Accord is only the latest in the history of alliances in Guyana’s post-war politics. The PPP emerged out of informal class and ethnic alliances in 1950. The PNC-UDP sought to merge African working and middle classes in the 1950s, with some resistance. The ‘moderate’ PNC came together with the ‘right wing’ UF in 1964. The opposition formed the little known VLD (Vanguard for Liberation and Democracy) in the late 1970s and the PCD in 1985, which comprised groups of differing ideological persuasions. The WPA emerged out of an alliance of several left/radical groups.

The PPP sought to engage the PNC by ‘critical support’ in 1976. In 1977 the PPP offered to sacrifice the presidency and take the second spot of prime minister in a new constitutional formula outlined in the National Patriotic Front in the interests of national unity. It was the epitome of political magnanimity in Guyana’s modern political history. The PPP saw working class unity and the strengthening of the left trend initiated by the PNC Government, as the outcome. It was rejected.   Continue reading

APNU, AFC reveal details of coalition pact; no decision on name, symbol

APNU, AFC reveal details of coalition pact; no decision on name, symbol

Saturday, 14 February 2015  – Written by   – CND

David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo

David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo

Two primary schoolmates, who later went on to be on the different sides of the political divide, on Saturday evening- Valentine’s – embraced each other to be presidential and prime ministerial candidates in a 60-40 coalition between A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC).

APNU’s David Granger– the presidential candidate- and AFC’s Moses Nagamootoo– the prime ministerial candidate- were flanked by top officials of their political organisations to announce the deal them fielding a joint slate and together financing the campaign.    Continue reading

Guyana: Capitol TV News Videos – 28 January 2015

Capitol TV News Videos – 28 January 2015

  • GPL considering reduced electricity charges
  • Robbery attempt at Survival Supermarket
  • Luncheon says “torture cops” service “superb
  • Judge rules in favour of public servant fired for refusing to submit to fingerprinting check in system
  • AFC holds Ramotar to elections date
  • Another look around the courts
  • Sports

Click links below to view the videos:   Continue reading

Guyana Elections 2015: Can younger generations end the nation’s racial politics? – By Rosaliene Bacchus

Three Worlds One Vision

Parliament Buildings - Georgetown - GuyanaParliament Buildings – Georgetown – Guyana
Source: Guyana Government Information Agency (GINA)

After suspending the nation’s Parliament last November to avoid a no-confidence vote, Guyana President Donald Ramotar finally made the long-awaited announcement. General and regional elections will take place on May 11, 2015.

Official representatives from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom stationed in Guyana released a joint-statement applauding the announcement. “We are hopeful that the upcoming electoral process will allow the Guyanese people to debate the important issues that are facing the country. We are committed to working with GECOM [Guyana Electoral Commission], all political parties, and civil society to support free, fair and peaceful elections,” they stated.

Since the 1950s, when working class Guyanese came together to demand independence from Great Britain, the nation’s politics evolved along racial lines of the majority Indo- and Afro-Guyanese populations. In power since 1992, the ruling party enjoys…

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Guyana: Capitol TV News – 20 January 2015

Guyana: Capitol TV News – 20 January 2015

  • Breaking News: President announces May 11 Elections.
  • GECOM says PPP satisfied with Elections preparations
  • Manufacturers hope Electricity rates drop
  • How the Government can spend until May 11th
  • AFC say CARICOM not impartial
  • UNASUR, has prioritized key infrastructure development
  • Minibus fares not going anywhere
  • No- Not again at City Hall

Click Links below to view the videos:-    Continue reading

Guyana: A weary society demanding positive change

A weary society demanding positive change

December 31, 2014 | By | Filed Under Editorial

The society has been saying for many years that it has had enough with the fiercely divisive nature of politics in Guyana. Each party seems willing to score political points at the expense of the wider society; each panders to its followers to the exclusion of others in the society.

This has been the case for as long as one cares to remember and until now, nobody has seen it fit to do anything about it. Instead, people became apathetic in public but angry within the confines of the homes at what passed for government.

In recent times, people became increasingly worried about victimization and so they would say things, in public, that they suspected one party or the other wanted to hear. It had reached the stage where people with genuine problems would rather seek out the help of reporters to air their grievances, but were quick to beg that their identity be protected. Continue reading

Guyana Politics: APNU should throw the ball back in the AFC’s court

APNU SHOULD THROW THE BALL BACK IN THE AFC’S COURT

December 14, 2014 | By KNews | Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Last Friday, I examined the counter-proposal made by the AFC to lead a pro-democracy coalition to contest next year’s general elections. I described this proposal as a case of the AFC demanding “leadership or nothing” of any coalition to oppose the PPPC.

This is not the first time that the AFC has issued such an ultimatum to APNU, the opposition partnership with the most seats in the National Assembly. At the commencement of the 10th parliament, APNU had wanted its candidate to become Speaker. The AFC however said that it wanted the position of Speaker and it was either its candidate or nothing. It made it clear that if it did not get its way it was prepared to support the PPPC’s candidate. In the end, the AFC had its way, even though they had to substitute Moses for Raphael. Continue reading

Elections are imminent, another minority parliament looms – commentary

Elections are imminent, another minority parliament looms

ballot boxNovember 16, 2014 | By KNEWS – | My Column

Some time back I wrote that if only people could talk to each other the country would be a better place. I remember back in 2012 there was a lot of fuss over the first budget that the Ramotar administration was presenting. The opposition which controlled the Parliament said that it should have had a say in the preparation.

The result is that there were cuts to the budget and the matter ended up in court. The same thing happened with the 2013 and 2014 budgets.

There were Bills that were considered important. These languished in the National Assembly because the government and the opposition could not talk enough to solve the problem. This trend has continued, with the result that Guyana saw its Parliament prorogued for the first time since it became an independent nation. Continue reading

From the Diaspora… OLD HABITS HARD TO DIE – By Ralph Seeram

From the Diaspora… OLD HABITS HARD TO DIE

AUGUST 3, 2014 | BY  –  By Ralph Seeram

ballot boxIt was like an excursion; busloads of PNC supporters travelling from poll station to poll station in Berbice to vote. There was much merriment; everybody was so happy committing election fraud. But who could object, the entire electoral process was controlled by the PNC. It was blatant for all to see that the election was being rigged.

I had suggested to some friends not to waste their time to go voting as they have already voted. Many persons approached me saying they were turned away at the voting booth because they had voted already. On the Corentyne, PPP supporters were desperately trying to ensure that their representatives accompanied the ballot boxes. We know that some were murdered by GDF soldiers in that process.   Continue reading

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