AFC’s co-founder Raphael Trotman resigns from Parliament

Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 August 2022, 17:15 by Denis Chabrol

Co-founder of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Raphael Trotman will be resigning from Parliament next week, and according to his party, that would be in keeping with a promise he had made to do so mid-term.

“Mr Trotman had indicated before the staging of its National Conference that he would not be available for nomination as he would be resigning mid-term in the life of the present Assembly, which commenced in 2020, to allow for rotation and space for new leadership training,” the AFC said.

The former AFC Chairman, who has hardly attended sittings of the National Assembly in person due to a prolonged throat illness,  has reportedly told party leader Khemraj Ramjattan of his decision to step down as a parliamentarian.

The AFC said Mr Trotman would remain on the National Executive Council of that party, and continue to provide counsel to the  leadership of the AFC on a range of national and regional developments. He will also continue to render his expert counsel on the nascent oil production sector.”

Mr. Trotman has served as a Member of the National Assembly continuously from 1998 to present, and  during that time, has been the 10th Speaker of the National Assembly, and served on  many Standing and Select Committees including – Constitution Reform, Security, Foreign
Affairs and Natural Resources, and contributed to the passage of scores of critical pieces  of legislation.

He also led several parliamentary delegations to international conferences  and meetings in the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Peru, Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Barbados, Mexico, and New Zealand, among others.

During the tenure of the last APNU/AFC administration, Mr. Trotman served firstly as  Minister of Governance and then as Minister of Natural Resources and remains a vital member of the leadership of the Alliance For Change.

Prior to the 2015 general elections, the AFC formed a pact with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to form the governing majority