AFC says APNU’s rejection of latest proposal demonstrates anti-coalition posture

Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, 23:10 by Writer

The Alliance For Change (AFC) on Wednesday said its last ditch effort to ensure there is a coalition with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) was rejected, demonstrating that that larger political organisation was never genuinely interested in a coalition to contest the September 1 general and regional elections.

“This last proposal gave APNU all they have been asking for to agree (to) a coalition and the AFC decided at all costs it would play its role in response to public feedback and the nation’s desire for a unified opposition. It is now clear the APNU was and is not interested in a coalition,” the AFC said in a statement.

The AFC said in response to its latest proposal dated Monday, June 16, 2025, that APNU responded saying that it also wanted to name the prime ministerial (PM) candidate, a position the smaller political organisation found rejected. “We were informed on Tuesday 18th that this proposal was rejected. On this occasion APNU decided that they must also name the AFC’s PM candidate contrary to the established protocol of the negotiations. This demand is totally unacceptable to the AFC,” the AFC said.

The AFC said on May 17 in its proposal that APNU nominates the presidential candidate and AFC the prime ministerial candidate, the ratio of 65-35 be applied across the board, there be an independent nominee for the Representative of the List of Candidates that is acceptable to both sides, and the AFC would nominate the Speaker of the National Assembly but acceptable to APNU.

Now former AFC executive members Juretha Fernandes, Sherod Duncan and Deonarine “Ricky” Ramsaroop have embraced APNU, with Ms Fernandes tipped to be its PM candidate. The AFC on Thursday said it has since forfeited their membership, having failed to receive responses to requests for clarifications but independently confirmed that they have now joined APNU.

“Any private arrangement established without consultation and completely contrary to the established protocols of the negotiations to date is totally unacceptable to the Alliance For Change and its members,” the AFC said.

Previous proposals

Sources told Demerara Waves Online News that this is not the first time that APNU had previously wanted to play a major role in picking the Pm candidate, going as far as saying that it must have a say in naming that person jointly.

An earlier AFC proposal for 65 percent of the cabinet positions and a number of key ministries had also been rejected by APNU which countered with 70 percent for APNU and 30 percent for AFC.

The APNU had also refused to give into the AFC’s demand for the minister of finance but was willing to engage in negotiations on who should be the attorney general. The APNU had also made it very clear that it would like to be in charge of a number of unnamed ministries that would be important for executing its agenda.

While the AFC favoured an independent nominee that is mutually acceptable for the Representative of the List, the APNU had previously said the presidential candidate must be the Representative of the List.