Georgetown, Guyana.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – to all media

December 19, 2025
PRESS RELEASE
AFC Disappointed In the Absence of Vision on Several Fundamentals for A Healthy Democracy In President Ali’s Address.

From the first days of our post-independence era, there has been a ceremonial opening of our Parliament, where the Head of State addresses the full complement of Parliament – comprising the Executive, the Government and the Opposition, including, an elected Leader of the Opposition, and lays out his or her government’s vision for the term ahead. This was always an unmistakable pillar of Guyana’s parliamentary democracy. That pillar was dangerously undermined when the President chose to make his "throne speech" on the lawns of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Wednesday, December 18, and to do so in the absence of the elected representatives of the Parliament of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. This was a calculated decision to exclude the peoples’ elected representatives.
While we acknowledge that there were some salient aspects within the speech itself, such that would be of benefit to all Guyanese if successfully implemented, the fact that the core ingredient of "inclusivity" was absent, has soured all of the sweet promises that President sought to make from his podium.

• There was no vision articulated to give meaningful effect to Article 13 of the Guyana Constitution for the building and maintaining of an "inclusive democracy".
• There was no vision articulated for the inclusion of the Parliamentary Opposition by way of consultations and engagement.
• There was no vision as to how the National Assembly is to function as a vital part of the three-legged state structure that encompasses the Executive, National Assembly, and the Judiciary.
• There was no vision articulated for the strengthening of the rule of law and good governance.
• There was no vision articulated for curbing industrial-scale and runaway lawlessness and corruption.
• There was no vision for the sustainable management of oil wealth and resources, and the manner in which each Guyanese will equally and equitably benefit and participate in the distribution of our oil-wealth. The release and analysis of the census is a first and necessary step in this direction.
• There was no vision as to how our Indigenous brothers and sisters will be assimilated into mainstream life and national development.

There was simply no vision, but instead, promises and broken dreams as much of what the population was promised was instead taken away.

Christmas will be depressing for 95% of Guyanese, while for a privileged 5%, the parties and rank displays of wealth and opulence will go on with complete disdain and disregard with respect to the feelings, needs, and concerns of the masses. This is our sad reality.

The AFC believes that following on the historic September elections, the President deliberately avoided an opportunity to mend frayed edges and to assuage anxious hearts and minds.
Instead, he chose to perpetuate the divisions, the cleavages, and the distrust that permeates our society. Oddly enough the so-called diplomatic community, normally barometers of good governance, made itself complicit in this dastardly scheme. This does not auger well for the 13th Parliament of our precious republic.
We are disappointed, and yet, still hopeful that we will see change that we, and all Guyanese, can embrace. Can we do it? Yes, we can!
END

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