AFC is an abject and abysmal failure in APNU-controlled Govt – Nandlall

  * says Nagamootoo reduced to holding role previously held by Kwame McCoy

* Ramjattan continues to fail miserably at managing even a reduced portfolio

* Noel Holder, by any standards, appears both hopeless and helpless

With the ministerial powers assigned to its members significantly reduced, the Alliance For Change (AFC) arm of the coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU/AFC) has been nothing but an abject and an abysmal failure in government.
This is according to Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) and former Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, who ridiculed claims by AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan, that the party is doing a fantastic job with its partner in Government – APNU.
Nandlall pointed out that most of the AFC Ministers have little or no authority within Government. He also highlighted that the AFC officials are constantly being sidelined by APNU members.
Examining the roles and functions of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, the politician posited that he only has oversight of the Guyana Chronicle newspaper and the National Communications Network (NCN) – a role which was previously held by Information and Press Liaison, Kwame McCoy.
The Cummingsburg Accord outlines a very pivotal role for the Prime Minister in government: to chair Cabinet, to be consulted on important constitutional matters and to be in charge of domestic affairs.
Some 16 months in Government, Nandlall observed that none of those promises have materialised and it appears that it will never be realised.
Also, he said contrary to the rhetoric that is being peddled, Nagamootoo is only a symbolic leader of Government business in Parliament.
“It is clear to all, that Ms Amna Ally is the de facto leader of Government business in the National Assembly,” the MP stated.
Moving on to the Public Security Minister, the former AG showed that Ramjattan’s entire portfolio was truncated even before his appointment, with an important segment of his Ministry being removed and given to APNU’s Winston Felix.
Moreover, Nandlall noted that Ramjattan continues to fail at managing even a reduced portfolio.
“Based upon media reports, comments from random members of the public and views expressed on the social media, Mr Ramjattan’s performance is adjudged to be mediocre at a minimum. In the opinion of the public, crime continues to spiral out of control and Mr Ramjattan appears progressively more incapable of tackling the situation,” he stated.

Another AFC Minister, Noel Holder who has responsibility for the agricultural sector for the country, is said to have done nothing impacting for the industries in Guyana.
“Mr Noel Holder, by any standards, appears both hopeless and helpless. Sugar and rice – the two largest sectors in the agriculture industry in Guyana – are in crisis,” the parliamentarian said.
With regards to rice, Nandlall pointed out that cultivation for this crop is a significant 40 per cent less than the last crop. “The farmers which have gone back to the land are in survival mode. Do not listen to me. Hear AFC/APNU’s Turhane Doerga and Jinnah Rahaman on the state of the rice industry in Guyana and the incompetence of the Agriculture Minister,” he stated.
Furthermore, Nandlall highlighted that AFC’s Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan, has been kicked aside by APNU’s Mayor and Town Clerk on several pertinent matters at City Hall including the controversial parking meter scandal.
He showed too that the AFC’s nominees to the Procurement Commission, Dr Anand Goolsarran and Christopher Ram, have both been rejected by APNU in the Public Accounts Committee.
Additionally, Nandlall argued that the Government is nowhere close to doing a fantastic job in governing the country – as exclaimed by the AFC leader.
In fact, he contended that the public is witnessing a greater volume of corruption, more single sourcing than ever and the greatest degree of disregard for the Procurement Act since its implementation in 2003. Ramjattan, a Vice President and the Public Security Minister in the coalition Government, told a recent press conference that his party is satisfied with the representation it is receiving as a partner in the coalition which was successful at the 2015 General and Regional elections. Responding to criticisms that the party has reneged on its promise to keep the APNU in line, Ramjattan said his party has not violated any promise it made to the country, particularly supporters of the AFC.

“Has Ramjattan forgotten the AFC manifesto promise to get rid of corruption in office, to stop single sourcing of contracts and to ensure that all contracts must be done in accordance with the Procurement Act? Instead, we are witnessing greater volume of corruption, more single sourcing than ever and the  greatest degree of disregard for the Procurement Act since its implementation in 2003,” Nandlall stated.

“Has Mr. Ramjattan forgotten that only two Saturdays ago, on a live television call in programme in Berbice, several persons who claimed to be AFC supporters told him that there is no AFC anymore in Berbice? The above is not exhaustive but it should demonstrate beyond doubt that like the Government, Mr. Kemraj Ramjattan is absolutely out of sync with reality. The reality is the AFC has been an abject and abysmal failure in Government,” Nandlall declared