The Opposition coalition’s impending decoupling is fueling its apprehension to participate in the upcoming Local Government Election (LGE), says Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall.
He noted that neither half of the Coalition wants to contest alone because a “proper trashing” is inevitable. He added that the “noise” being made about a “bloated” voters list and the use of biometrics are mere tactics to deflect from the reality that both organisations are on the brink of collapse.
Nandlall said that both the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) would rather make excuses not to compete than face a “complete whipping” at the poll.
“They don’t have the ability to pull crowds anywhere. So, in that state of decay, they don’t want to go to Local Government Elections, because if they go, they know that they will be properly trashed, completely whipped and they know that. That loss will do greater damage to them at the next national election. Their defeat will send a clear and present signal to their supporters and the international community that these groups are degenerating even further,” the AG posited.
The AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, earlier this year confirmed reports that his party intends to part ways with the APNU at the end of 2022 when their merger accord expires. However, the party continues to blow hot and cold on its future with the APNU. Ramjattan noted that even after the split, the AFC will lend support to the APNU. He made this commitment weeks before convincing opposition supporters of the likelihood that the AFC could merge with the APNU ahead of the General and Regional Elections expected in 2025.
Currently, the main Parliamentary Opposition comprises members drawn from both parties. It is unclear whether there will be changes to Members of Parliament (MP) in the House, as was observed when the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) – the largest party in the APNU – forced out its Leader, Joseph Harmon and replaced him with Aubrey Norton, after the party’s internal elections in December 2021.
Nandlall said that with the Coalition on the verge of disengaging, supporters are beginning to lose confidence.
” So, it’s a disorganized, weak PNC and another grouping called the AFC, which has about 20 persons. So, they are unable to organize, they are unable to mobilise, I suspect that they have no money whatsoever, and the people are beginning or have begun to realise that they are a visionless, incompetent grouping, who can’t even unity to represent them in the parliament or anywhere else,” Nandlall said.
