Key AFC overseas backer quits

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:01 by GxMedia

The Alliance For Change (AFC) on Wednesday confirmed that one of its New York-based members has resigned from the party after failing to get the leadership to address several key concerns and effectively reprimand errant members.

AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan denied that no action was taken in defence of Dr. Shamir Ally of the New York/New Jersey AFC Chapter. “We did take some severe measures against those persons who did hurl those abusive remarks but we just could not have, in effect, enforce because it’s very difficult,” Ramjattan told a news conference.

He said pleas were made to Ally’s critics for peace, urging them to desist from deepening the disagreement but without success. “What could we do? This is a liberal democratic party…There is no maximalist leader in this party who can then go and literally shut up any other member,” the AFC leader added.

Ally has acknowledged that the New York/New Jersey AFC chapter suspended the offending persons and peace prevailed for around one year. For his part, liberal democracy must mean accountability for actions as a key, and discipline must be applied when needed without fear or favour.

Asked to react specifically to Ally’s concerns about, among others,  finances, controls, discipline, management and leadership, Ramjattan contended that those would always be associated with growing and big parties like the AFC.’

The party praised Ally for his “huge support” time, intellect and resources at the 2011 general election campaign.  After that “very bitter” quarrel, Ramjattan said his party now had to look beyond the lack of reconciliation. “The AFC would just have to pick itself up after fall outs like this, find remedies and move on,” he said.

In a letter published in the government-sympathetic Guyana Times newspaper, Ally complained that “Recently, emailed insults, character assignations and caustic remarks have been hurled at the New York/New Jersey AFC chapter chairman Dr Rohan Somar without abatement. Perhaps, some members may condone, support or encourage such behaviours, since no discipline is being enforced.”