Nigel Hughes announces resignation from AFC Chairmanship; meeting with Ramjattan planned

Last Updated on Monday, 11 April 2016, 21:40 by Denis Chabrol

Attorney-at-Law, Nigel Hughes has decided to step down as Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), but party leader Khemraj Ramjattan hopes to get him to change his mind.

Ramjattan, who was present at the meeting, subsequently spoke with Mr. Hughes and a meeting is arranged for Tuesday, April 12th.

The party sought to scotch reports that Hughes’ decision was apparently linked to a lack of consensus on a statement that the AFC issued at the end of Sunday’s (April 11, 2o16) retreat in which a call was made for Minister of State, Joseph Harmon to be stripped of some of his powers. “The party confirms unequivocally that the statement issued on April 10th following its leadership retreat was a one which was unanimously approved by the attendees of the leadership retreat,” the AFC said in a statement.

Hughes’ decision to quit the number two spot in the AFC was made at a statutory Management Committee meeting of the party on Monday. The party did not say specifically what was Hughes’ decision, only saying that “Chairman Nigel Hughes made an announcement with regard to his Chairmanship of the party.”

The AFC in its post-retreat statement also called on President David Granger to swiftly hand over copies of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry Report to Rodney’s family and other interest parties as well as make the report public. Also, the AFC called for an assessment of the several forensic audit reports and the acquisition of independent legal advice to determine if anyone should be charged and prosecuted by an team of professional prosecutors.

The party said it would make no further statement on the issue at this time.