May 31st, People’s Deadline for an Announcement on a PNC/R and AFC Coalition

Dear Editor,  

It has been several months since the People’s National Congress/Reform and the Alliance For Change have  been in talks and negotiation on the terms and conditions for a coalition and until now, they have not arrived  at a firm decision to contest the 2025 General and Regional Elections as a coalition. People are becoming  impatient and are doubtful as to whether there will be a coalition between the two parties for the upcoming  elections. Many people have taken a practical position on these elections, instead of viewing it from a mere  emotional standpoint. They are viewing the Opposition political parties as mechanisms through which the  status quo can be changed, and Guyana and Guyanese can have an opportunity to realize their full potential. 

As such, many are of the view that May 31st, 2025, should be the people’s deadline for an announcement  on a PNC/R and AFC Coalition. If there is no announcement by then, one of the parties should take the lead and move the process forward since elections is only five or six months away. Although many people really  like the AFC and Nigel Hughes, they are of the view that the primary focus at this stage should be about  winning the elections. One of the practical suggestions is that if there is no coalition between these two  parties by this date, the PNC/R should take the lead, since they have a greater chance of winning than the  AFC, and for this reason many are planning to throw their support behind the PNC/R to give them a chance to win. 

Many East Indian, African and other Guyanese from both ordinary and business communities are indicating  that if there is no coalition between the two parties, the PNC/R should campaign as the PNC/R+APNU  Coalition. The suggestion is that the PNC/R should put a prominent Indo-Guyanese as the Prime Ministerial  candidate. The thinking is that somebody needs to be in charge of decision-making at this stage. A  PNC/R+APNU Coalition government could include the following: Aubrey Norton as President; Dr. Yog  Mahadeo as Prime Minister and First Vice President with a substantial portfolio (Maybe, Public  Communication with responsibility for Information Technology Communication and Innovation); Dr.  Terrence Campbell as the Second Vice President and Senior Minister of Natural Resources and Coalition  Manager (Meaning that Dr. Campbell will have the responsibility to ensure that the Coalition is managed,  sustained and is functional as a government); Ganesh Mahipaul, Minister of Governance and Parliamentary  Affairs; and Amanza Walton-Desir as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amanza, is very popular among  young people from various ethnic groups. 

If the PNC/R+APNU Coalition wins, ministerial positions can be offered to the AFC, such as Nigel Hughes  as a Senior Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General with responsibility for constitutional reform or  Minister of Home Affairs with responsibility for constitutional reform and David Patterson as Minister of  Public Works, etc. AFC members and supporters can also be offered positions as advisors, ambassadors, on  state boards, etc.  

The thinking is that leadership is largely about decision making and compromise and a decision has to be  made at this stage, and time is of the essence. If the opposition does not first of all, allow enough time to  organize and mobilize the Guyanese people, as well as the necessary resources for a substantial campaign,  the possibility of winning will be reduced. With these suggestions, it is felt that the PNC/R, AFC, APNU,  their members, supporters and the Guyanese people can all be winners. Someone once said that there is  power in a decision. Will the PNC/R and AFC parties decide on contesting the upcoming elections as a  coalition or will the PNC/R take the lead and move the process forward? It is better to try and fail than to  fail to try. Remember, the focus at this stage, should be on winning the upcoming elections! 

Sincerely, 

Citizen Audreyanna Thomas