Violence in all its forms must be denounced and condemned by all. The recent developments of a grenade explosion in Stabroek Market, which realized one dead and a number of others injured, the throwing of an unexploded firebomb into the property of Member of Parliament, Ms. Philomena Sahoye Shury, and the arson attempts at two schools on the East Coast Demerara all signal very ugly incidents which must be met with outright condemnations. Guyanese across the political, class and ethnic divide will all be adversely affected; very directly in some cases, and indirectly otherwise.
Since its formation in 2005 the AFC has declared its abhorrence of violence. Only too recently, its Presidential Candidate, Mr. Ramjattan, has pleaded in his New Year’s Message that 2011 be peaceful and free from violent politics.
The Police Force must make a special effort to identify the intellectual authors and perpetrators behind these incidents and to find out whether their activities are part of seperate individual scheming or part of a joint enterprise.
The AFC is wholly aware that such violence as has started this New Year will not benefit the public, nor the credible opposition forces. It believes that the intellectual authors and the actual perpetrators are the only ones to be the beneficiaries of this violence.
Violence in a year when Elections are to be held will cause tremendous fear to be driven into the minds of electors, will cause major distractions from the important, dominant issues of the day, will create a contrived instability on the political landscape, and in a multi-ethnic society such as ours, do have the ethnic-minded running back into their respective camps and circling the wagon as it were.
So Guyanese then must all ask themselves this question: “Who in this Election year are the beneficiaries of these incidences?
The AFC pleads that all Guyana strive to ensure that 2011 be a peaceful year.
The Stabroek Vendors
The AFC regards the Government’s handling of the Stabroek Vendors, after the grenade explosion, as ill-advised and tantamount to burning down the house to find the pig. There is matter in manner and such a bulldozing attitude is not in keeping with the humanism that is required whenever termination of livelihoods is concerned, especially for so many.
Even if Ministerial pronouncements from Rohee, Benn and Lall are correct that lawlessness existed there, such alleged lawlessness must not be countered by Executive lawlessness.
The AFC notes, too, how the Vendors are being booted around and being used like a political football among the threesome, namely, the President, the Ministers (Rohee, Benn and Lall) and the Mayor. The President in keeping with recent behavior is playing the role of savior of the Vendors, when His Excellency, knowing how he loves to micro-manage, was undoubtedly the one who must have instructed the complete demolition of their stalls.
There must be a more systemized, orderly arrangement for the establishment and enforcement of vending in the City and countywide to bring a sense of certainty to the lives of Vendors. This arbitrariness where vendors, by virtue of the acquiescence of the authorities, are led to legitimately expect that their stalls will not be removed, and then such a sudden demolition without notice, will create anger and hardships and a disequilibrium which inevitably will result in a multiplicity of societal ills.
The AFC wishes to reiterate, however, that all of this has occurred because jobs are not being created by this Government so as to realize purposeful and substantial employ for able-bodied men and women. It is the fight to survive which forces able-bodied persons into being itinerant Vendors in areas not befitting our once beautiful garden City, and country wide.
Steve’s Peeve – the Chairman’s Livestock employ
That Steve does have a peeve with matters livestock, no one can deny. But Mr. Surujbally must not be too bullish when it comes to matters constitutional.
The constitutional reform process of 2000 after serious and lengthy deliberation on the issue made it clear in its recommendation that – “The Chairman of the Elections Commission should be full-time…” At the Oversight Committee, further comment was made to this effect: “The Committee considered the interpretation of the description ‘full-time Chairman’ and agreed that it meant that the Chairman of the Elections Commission would be prohibited from engaging in any other form of employment”. These exact words by the framers were then drafted into article 161(1) of the Constitution by Constitutional Amendment Act No 2 of 2000.
By any method of interpretation, be it literal or purposive, these words must mean what they say. And any application of that meaning must instruct the Chairman that he must desist from other employ which obviously is what Chairmanship of the Livestock Development Authority is. The employ as Chairmanship of the Livestock Authority is not negatived by the smallness of the stipend nor that it is directed to charity and not to the Chairman’s pocket. To postulate that this is not so will obviously bring into question whether his Chairmanship of GECOM is employ at all! Even if he were to take the entirety of his salary from GECOM which is very substantial, and give it to charity, this does not negative it being employment with GECOM!
But there is a more fundamental prescription which Mr. Steve Surujbally must adhere to as Chairman of such an office, the operations and decisions of which are as sensitive as it gets. This fundamental prescription is an adherence to constitutional propriety. Even if for some strange reason legal advice or a Court ruling may hold that there is nothing constitutionally wrong or there is no constitutional violation committed herein, the Chairman ought to know that there is everything constitutionally improper about such employ at the Livestock Authority in the context of all the circumstances here. Just like the principle adhered to by Judges who must see that justice not only being done, but ensure that it appears to be done, so too in this context of an independent Chairman of GECOM must there be not only actual independence but appearances of independence. Even if this rule or convention is no where to be found, then for the sake of fair play and justice and avoidance of mistrust in our electoral process, let us commence to create one for this purpose and in these circumstances.
Again the AFC notice that the President is playing savior and hero, by demanding Mr. Surujbally’s resignation, to give the impression that His Excellency is the grand guardian of the Constitution. It was President Jagdeo, however, who advised the employ of Surujbally as head of the Livestock Authority in the first place, thereby causing a breach of the Constitution.
To date there has not been any information as to whether the resignation has occurred. The AFC thus urges Steve, notwithstanding his peeve, to leave…the Livestock Authority.
AFC URGES FULL RECOGNITION OF UN RESOLUTION 64/169 PROCLAIMING 2011 THE YEAR of PEOPLE of AFRICAN DESCENT
The people of African descent here in Guyana and elsewhere should seize the opportunities presented on the occasion of the designation, by the United Nations, of the year 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent, by demanding, greater respect, participation in decision making processes, and integration in the “political, economic, social and cultural aspects of our society. Likewise, in this year, we expect that the promotion of their diverse heritage and culture will be enhanced.
The AFC urges that for Guyana in particular, that government, and civil society stakeholders, will meet to discuss and settle on a programme that gives full expression to UN Resolution 64/169, which proclaimed this to be the year of people of African descent. We would be failing in our duty if we did not state that It is regrettable that the government of Guyana has not, in the first instance, already called the relevant stake-holders together to discuss and agree on initiatives to give expression to this Resolution, and in the second, given any indication whatsoever that it intends to honour the Resolution in spirit and letter, and how so.
he AFC calls for full recognition of the UN Resolution to ensure a successful year for the Guyanese descended from Africans, and urges all Guyanese to embrace the celebratory aspect of this UN mandate and to use the occasion to deepen their knowledge and understanding of things African, more particularly, the contribution of Africans to Guyana’s development, and their current situation relative to this contribution. The AFC will in due course unveil its plans for the convening of a Public Forum to discuss all issues relative to the resuscitation of the Villages established by freed African slaves.
AFC appoints a Campaign Manager – Salaudeen Nausrudeen
Respected AFC candidates, executives and members of the Media, Good morning.
I am honoured with the responsibility to manage and coordinate the AFC 2011
Campaign, which hopefully will bring the needed changes to Guyana.
Upon the request of the AFC, a very short time ago, I undertook a careful study of the pulse of the electorate and an analysis of the political state of play. What I found was both alarming and hopeful.
Firstly, alarming because I found widespread hopelessness and disenchantment
among all Guyanese especially the youth, women and business people. This
is nothing new but a continuation of the trend from 2006 where large sections of voters did not vote, and the overall turnout at the election was the lowest in more than 13 years. Many of the reasons and circumstances why Guyanese were disenchanted then remain the same today. This condition may have even got worst.
Secondly, hopeful because people from all backgrounds want change and will
be looking for change in the upcoming elections. I met youth, women,
business persons, laborers and they all told me the same thing that Guyana
cannot remain the same. And many of us know what needs to be changed. Many
of you yourself experience the daily hardships and challenges.
In 2006, this desire for change resulted in 5 seats in the National Assembly for the AFC.
This is dramatic and must be credited in context of the last 45 years of rigid racial voting pattern which has created a failed state. I am confident that many more voters in the upcoming election will join the thousands in 2006 and vote for the AFC at the 2011 Elections.
So it is with this optimism and charge that on January 29 at the Ocean View
Convention Centre the AFC will officially unveil its launch into a campaign mode to bring the change that Guyanese yearn and hunger for. You will beinvited formally. This is but just prior notification to a select lot.
The AFC 2011 campaign will be a positive one that will educate voters on
critical and fundamental issues which inhibits their development and engender ethnic disharmony. It will promote and provide a glimpse of a new Guyana that will bring political stability, social harmony and economic prosperity.
This will be demonstrated in the campaign through our strategy, plans,promotional materials, activists, speeches and pronouncements. The AFC campaign will be a very creative one that will seek to raise the bar, the level of discussion and the overall tone.
I thank you and look forward to answering any questions you may have.
End.
For more information contact::
Salaudeen Nausrudeen
AFC Campaign Office
139 Fourth St. Campbellville (aback of LENS on Sheriff St.).
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