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FM
Former Member

Khemraj RamjattanJoe, this was not easy at all. When I made the announcement that AFC wanted to be leading a pro democracy alliance made up of civic forces and disaffected PPP members and even including APNU, I knew that a big party like APNU will not give up that top Presidential candidacy that easily. I wanted to be maximal with my demands as all who enter negotiations for some object or major purpose do.
Moreover I was well aware that the equal parity that I was demanding of APNU will be difficult to realise. And hence compromise had to be made if we wanted an alliance or coalition with this party, APNU.
The alternative was dire, namely, the certainty of another 5 years of PPP corruption and thievery!
Our AFC chances going it alone will have realized at most a doubling of our seats in Parliament. As the popular growing party, we estimated an additional 4 seats from the PPP and 3 from the APNU. In this 3 way race, PPP comes out still the winner, and Guyana the poorer for it.
To change Guyana, we need to be in Government or to play an instrumental role in a new Government. What were we to do? Go it alone? Or work out an alliance arrangement with APNU to our benefit?
This is what was done here. We tried our utmost to secure the Presidential candidacy. APNU would not budge on this as they argued that they were the larger party...they got 138,000 votes last time. We got 36,000. They argued we should take the Prime Ministerial position. We then argued that that position was subsumed and dependent under the Presidency. They then agree to empower it by transferring or delegating presidential powers unto the office of Prime Minister. We agreed to the substantial delegation because it was now a Prime Minister with teeth under this agreement.
Additionally, we demanded that the AFC must get 12 seats in this arrangement whether this new Alliance won the Elections or lost it. So we will not lose our identity. We will be naming at the end of the next elections, 12 Parliamentarians!!!
We fought hard for a 50/50 percent of the Cabinet positions. We settled for 60/40 in favour of APNU with a number of deliverables on good governance, constitutional reforms, economic development, and social sector reforms.
We punched way over our weight class here , Joel Joseph . And managed to procure for Guyana a wonderful coalition where we will not be dominated by the APNU. And with a high probability (I think it is a certainty) of winning the next elections!
In my mind, we cannot forever, distrust APNU or any black leader. Because that is the way of racialised politics...... which ensures the perpetuation of PPP in power.
We had to do then what we needed to be done for our people of Guyana.
I would not do anything to jeapordise our AFC's interests. But certainly I would make the compromises to advance our Guyanese interests. I believe that 50% of something is always better than 100% of nothing.
The fact that it is a black candidate who got the Presidency must not be reason for criticism of this arrangement. We have to break out from this deep-seated distrust so we can move on to build a country. The former leaders of that party, PNC then, were indeed bad guys in 1970s and 1980's. But so is the PPP today. We thus have to move on and not be enslaved by the past. Yes we must stop this race-hate and go forward. It is what has kept this country back for half a century.
This forward movement I think has been done here...we have been brave enough to think outside the box here.
We also have safeguarded ourselves with that 12 seats. So if for any strange reason Mr. Granger thinks, (and he has shown no evidence of this) after winning an elections, that he will behave like Burnham in the 1960's, we will bring him and his Government down ....... with the support of the PPP Parliamentarians on a no-confidence motion. Hardly likely too can APNU rig to stay in power, because of more secure rules governing elections here in 2015 as against what Burnham set up on 1980. Plus we have today an international climate which will never allow it.....not in Uncle Sam's backyard and not in 2015!
So trust us in the leadership of the AFC on this again. This is outstanding leadership to bring this country from the brink. It will go down in history as the deal that broke the back of racism, that brought national unity. In time to come its significance and historic importance will be more appreciated. My friend and bhaiji, you will be proud that I would have played the major role in realizing it.

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Originally Posted by Nehru:

Shaitaan, He will tell you with a straight face that was the right thing to say on THAT day.

 

This man indicates that he had good reason to believe that the AFC will DOUBLE their performance in 2015 and he chose to basically dissolve his party and become a PNC MP?

 

This man admits he's trying his best to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

 

No coalition would have weakened the PPP/C and bled it of some more parliamentary seats leading to it's eventual demise.

 

But no, that might take 2 election cycles. Who really has that kinda time?

Let's make a made dash for the jugular now.

FM

With key members defecting every other week, they were going to double their seats. What a joke. When they had Dick Morris, they also claimed that they would win 25 seats. hahaha

 

Cowardly defeatist strategy in the long run because the PPP still stays in power. So what would have been the use of the no confidence motion? They might as well sit and watch the PPP rape the treasury and continue with mismanagement.

Mars
Last edited by Mars
Originally Posted by Kari:
A very compelling piece by Khemraj, but I'm afraid the departure from racialised politics he hopes for is premature.

Khemraj ought to remember that this past Parliament lasted 3 years. Even with continued thievery (and I argue there will a shorter leash this time around), they always have the MONC hammer.

 

I agree. At worst, the AFC would have picked up some more PPP seats and could have gone back to the elections again in a few months or a year to finish the job. The absolutely hideous nature of Guyana's politics with its numerous opportunities for pitfalls demand a conservative approach by a third party.

 

Ramjattan seems to be living in his own world. Middle class Indians today (myself included) are always more willing to forgive past and recent PNC misdeeds. We tend to be more educated and have normative ideas about liberal democracy, close friends (maybe even family) that are black etc. etc.. And also didn't really suffer that much from 1964 to 1992 or have moved on from whatever minor insults we endured. The ordinary Indians who have had different experiences and exist in a different world do not share this willingness to forgive and forget along with a "gambling" approach to the PNC.

FM
Originally Posted by Kari:
A very compelling piece by Khemraj, but I'm afraid the departure from racialised politics he hopes for is premature.

Khemraj ought to remember that this past Parliament lasted 3 years. Even with continued thievery (and I argue there will a shorter leash this time around), they always have the MONC hammer.

Khemraj looks like he doesn't trust the AFC already because he talking about MONC already with the support of the PPP. How does he know that the PPP will give their support to him.

FM

"In my mind, we cannot forever, distrust APNU or any black leader. Because that is the way of racialised politics...... which ensures the perpetuation of PPP in power.
We had to do then what we needed to be done for our people of Guyana.
I would not do anything to jeapordise our AFC's interests. But certainly I would make the compromises to advance our Guyanese interests. I believe that 50% of something is always better than 100% of nothing.
The fact that it is a black candidate who got the Presidency must not be reason for criticism of this arrangement. We have to break out from this deep-seated distrust so we can move on to build a country. The former leaders of that party, PNC then, were indeed bad guys in 1970s and 1980's. But so is the PPP today. We thus have to move on and not be enslaved by the past. Yes we must stop this race-hate and go forward. It is what has kept this country back for half a century.
"

 

 

POWERFUL WORDS.

YET AGAIN HE SAYS in powerful words.

 

"We also have safeguarded ourselves with that 12 seats. So if for any strange reason Mr. Granger thinks, (and he has shown no evidence of this) after winning an elections, that he will behave like Burnham in the 1960's, we will bring him and his Government down ....... with the support of the PPP Parliamentarians on a no-confidence motion. Hardly likely too can APNU rig to stay in power, because of more secure rules governing elections here in 2015 as against what Burnham set up on 1980. Plus we have today an international climate which will never allow it.....not in Uncle Sam's backyard and not in 2015!
So trust us in the leadership of the AFC on this again. This is outstanding leadership to bring this country from the brink. It will go down in history as the deal that broke the back of racism, that brought national unity. In time to come its significance and historic importance will be more appreciated.
"

 

cain
Originally Posted by Dondadda:
Originally Posted by Kari:
A very compelling piece by Khemraj, but I'm afraid the departure from racialised politics he hopes for is premature.

Khemraj ought to remember that this past Parliament lasted 3 years. Even with continued thievery (and I argue there will a shorter leash this time around), they always have the MONC hammer.

Khemraj looks like he doesn't trust the AFC already because he talking about MONC already with the support of the PPP. How does he know that the PPP will give their support to him.

He's showing if indeed any hanky panky...out they go, that's all.

 

PPP showing this?

cain

We also have safeguarded ourselves with that 12 seats. So if for any strange reason Mr. Granger thinks, (and he has shown no evidence of this) after winning an elections, that he will behave like Burnham in the 1960's, we will bring him and his Government down ....... with the support of the PPP Parliamentarians on a no-confidence motion. Hardly likely too can APNU rig to stay in power, because of more secure rules governing elections here in 2015 as against what Burnham set up on 1980. Plus we have today an international climate which will never allow it.....not in Uncle Sam's backyard and not in 2015!

 

Khemraj Ramjattan

Utter nonsense by Khemraj Ramjattan.

 

Regardless of one's views, the 1980 Constitution with a few subsequent amendments remain as the laws of governance.

FM
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Khemraj RamjattanJoe,.
The fact that it is a black candidate who got the Presidency must not be reason for criticism of this arrangement.

I will be curious about the source of this, and whether it is indeed from Ramjattan.

 

I would hope not as it would then confirm the fears of the PPP (and hope of the PNC) that the AFC is Indo party II, and not a broad based party.

FM
Originally Posted by caribny:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Khemraj RamjattanJoe,.
The fact that it is a black candidate who got the Presidency must not be reason for criticism of this arrangement.

I will be curious about the source of this, and whether it is indeed from Ramjattan.

 

I would hope not as it would then confirm the fears of the PPP (and hope of the PNC) that the AFC is Indo party II, and not a broad based party.

 

I took this off his facebook page. I vouchsafe for it's authenticity. It is posted here unaltered.

FM
Originally Posted by cain:

"In my mind, we cannot forever, distrust APNU or any black leader. Because that is the way of racialised politics...... which ensures the perpetuation of PPP in power.
We had to do then what we needed to be done for our people of Guyana.
I would not do anything to jeapordise our AFC's interests. But certainly I would make the compromises to advance our Guyanese interests. I believe that 50% of something is always better than 100% of nothing.
The fact that it is a black candidate who got the Presidency must not be reason for criticism of this arrangement. We have to break out from this deep-seated distrust so we can move on to build a country. The former leaders of that party, PNC then, were indeed bad guys in 1970s and 1980's. But so is the PPP today. We thus have to move on and not be enslaved by the past. Yes we must stop this race-hate and go forward. It is what has kept this country back for half a century.
"

 

 

POWERFUL WORDS.

YET AGAIN HE SAYS in powerful words.

 

"We also have safeguarded ourselves with that 12 seats. So if for any strange reason Mr. Granger thinks, (and he has shown no evidence of this) after winning an elections, that he will behave like Burnham in the 1960's, we will bring him and his Government down ....... with the support of the PPP Parliamentarians on a no-confidence motion. Hardly likely too can APNU rig to stay in power, because of more secure rules governing elections here in 2015 as against what Burnham set up on 1980. Plus we have today an international climate which will never allow it.....not in Uncle Sam's backyard and not in 2015!
So trust us in the leadership of the AFC on this again. This is outstanding leadership to bring this country from the brink. It will go down in history as the deal that broke the back of racism, that brought national unity. In time to come its significance and historic importance will be more appreciated.
"

 

Ramjattan sounds lil confused.

FM
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Yes Khemraj, what an awful awful result 14 seats in Parliament would have been for the AFC.

 

Now you can look forward to zero.

12 certain seats vs 14 seats that is uncertain!  12 certain seats sounds like a deal for me.  WIN OR LOSE the AFC gets 12 seats.

12 vps?

 

 

 

FM
Originally Posted by skeldon_man:
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Yes Khemraj, what an awful awful result 14 seats in Parliament would have been for the AFC.

 

Now you can look forward to zero.

12 certain seats vs 14 seats that is uncertain!  12 certain seats sounds like a deal for me.  WIN OR LOSE the AFC gets 12 seats.

12 vps?

 

 

 

2 VP - Kathy and Khemraj

FM
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by skeldon_man:
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Yes Khemraj, what an awful awful result 14 seats in Parliament would have been for the AFC.

 

Now you can look forward to zero.

12 certain seats vs 14 seats that is uncertain!  12 certain seats sounds like a deal for me.  WIN OR LOSE the AFC gets 12 seats.

12 vps?

 

 

 

2 VP - Kathy and Khemraj

Bai Kish, me hear all de AFC members will be vps. Dah is de pramis.

FM
Originally Posted by skeldon_man:
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by skeldon_man:
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Yes Khemraj, what an awful awful result 14 seats in Parliament would have been for the AFC.

 

Now you can look forward to zero.

12 certain seats vs 14 seats that is uncertain!  12 certain seats sounds like a deal for me.  WIN OR LOSE the AFC gets 12 seats.

12 vps?

 

 

 

2 VP - Kathy and Khemraj

Bai Kish, me hear all de AFC members will be vps. Dah is de pramis.

Matter not what they are called, ocne they do not tief like the PPP scallywags, we good.

FM
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by skeldon_man:
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by skeldon_man:
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Yes Khemraj, what an awful awful result 14 seats in Parliament would have been for the AFC.

 

Now you can look forward to zero.

12 certain seats vs 14 seats that is uncertain!  12 certain seats sounds like a deal for me.  WIN OR LOSE the AFC gets 12 seats.

12 vps?

 

 

 

2 VP - Kathy and Khemraj

Bai Kish, me hear all de AFC members will be vps. Dah is de pramis.

Matter not what they are called, ocne they do not tief like the PPP scallywags, we good.

Like you PNC neva tief heh? PPP neva tief everything. PNC scraped the bottom of the barrel.

FM
Originally Posted by skeldon_man:
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:

Yes Khemraj, what an awful awful result 14 seats in Parliament would have been for the AFC.

 

Now you can look forward to zero.

12 certain seats vs 14 seats that is uncertain!  12 certain seats sounds like a deal for me.  WIN OR LOSE the AFC gets 12 seats.

12 vps?

It will probably be like this, of course, in the PNC cum AFC dreams ...

 

- President

- 23 Senior Executive Vice Presidents

- 22 Executive Vice Presidents

- 20 Vice Presidents

 

Of course, when they wake up to face the real hard realities after the May 11, 2015 elections, they might be lucky to gather 28 seats but still occupying the opposition benches.

FM
Last edited by Former Member

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