Special Reporter, Georgetown, Guyana
— GS Jagdeo accuses Ramjattan of being in a subservient role.
Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party (PPP), is characterizing the supposed 'divorce' between the Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) as a deceptive, crafty, and insincere manoeuvre. He remains unconvinced that the two political parties indeed severed their political ties in 2022, and a recent press conference fortified his opinion.
The "Cummingsburg Accord," signed by the APNU and AFC on February 14, 2015, led to their coalition victory in the 2015 elections. However, this seven-year partnership officially concluded on December 31, 2022, as AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan announced.
Dr. Jagdeo addressed the media, stating, "The so-called divorce that the AFC and APNU spoke of in 2022 has been revealed as a sham."
Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Vice-President, Guyana
He revealed his longstanding belief that the move was a mere ploy due to the AFC's loss of support base. "I dismissed it as a gimmick. The AFC had lost its base entirely, primarily due to the corrupt practices of AFC members in government, their financial mismanagement, policy decisions, and arrogance in their interactions with the public. They completely forgot their base and lost it."
These losses were further exacerbated by their handling of issues like the sugar industry and taxation. Dr. Jagdeo emphasized that he couldn't be misled, and the AFC never actually distanced itself from the APNU. Instead, they aimed to deceive the Guyanese populace, based on fabricated reasons, into believing they had.
He also pointed out that some initially saw this as a sign of the AFC's intent to return to its pre-2015 core ideals of democracy, being a solid third-party force, promoting accountability, and serving the greater good. However, Dr. Jagdeo contended that the recent press conference dispels any notion of a divorce, revealing that the two organizations are collaborating and will participate in upcoming elections together.
In his criticism of the political choices made by these two parties, Dr. Jagdeo described Ramjattan as a 'lapdog' heavily involved in subservient politics. During the press conference, he noted Ramjattan's full-throated support for Norton's statements. He predicted that the AFC and APNU would continue to join forces in major general elections, as they have since 2015.
Special Reporter, Georgetown, Guyana