[www.inewsguyana.com] –Guyana’s main opposition coalition of A Partnership For National Unity / Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) on Wednesday March 03, officially launched its campaign to jointly contest the May 11, 2015 General and Regional Elections.
Though the event at the Pegasus Hotel was met with much fanfare and celebration, the message of the need for a better Guyana was strong and evident in the charge and unity declaration by Presidential Candidate David Granger and Prime Ministerial Candidate Moses Nagamootoo, respectively.
Granger, in a charge that was broadcast live, underscored the need for Guyana to be better ranked internationally and for the country to be delivered out of its present state of unhappiness.
The Presidential candidate said, “Happy people do not kill themselves, happy people do not kill their wives, happy people do not kill each other- Guyana is an unhappy country.”
He further noted that Guyanese must be wary lest they fall victim to the “division tactics” of the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration since this can return the Party to office come May 11.
He also maintained that the Cummingsburg Accord should be seen as a “social covenant” and the vehicle that could lead to a better Guyana for all.
“The Cummingsburg Accord is not a crass short term power sharing bargain…it will ensure that our multi-ethnic, multicultural society provides a place for all Guyanese to prosper…the Cummingsburg accord is a public covenant. It is actually a social contract,” Granger contended.
“Our single mission is one of service is one of solidarity and is one of national unity….we are assured that in the campaign ahead, the majority of Guyanese want to win.”
He opined that what the APNU/AFC grouping now faces is a wrestle with the PPP.
“We wrestle against the PPP that daily is inflicting damage on our university, our teacher training college and our schools. We wrestle not against and blood but against principalities and power….against the ruling of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” said Granger.
Meanwhile, Nagamootoo said that Guyana objectively needs unity, and when many Guyanese saw the outcome of the talks between APNU and AFC, they were indeed overcome with relief.
Nagamootoo said that since 1955, a single occurrence called “the split” had wounded the Guyanese civilization, pointing out that it occasioned political and ethnic division.
“But today, today – after 60 years – we are taking a conscious step to put the healing balm to the scars of that division. Today, there is need for a new wave in our democracy, to inject life into our decaying political system, and to transform our governance by ending winner-takes-all-politics, by taking Guyana along the road to multi-party, multi-ethnic, national rule.
“The APNU+AFC alliance is that new beginning in our quest for an inclusive democracy, not only of political parties but civil society as well.It will be, as it has been, a bumpy road to the Promised Land. But we will not be daunted. We will not be intimidated. We shall defeat the monster of racism. We shall overcome the campaign of fear,” Nagamootoo vowed.
He was nostalgic of what was referred to as “fleeting moments of meeting David Granger,” when he was a youngster.
“Our lives would have taken us to different paths – his, to a career in teaching, in the police and in the military and mine, in journalism, politics and law.But if as boys we shared a village and a school, tell me, tell me, why today can we not share in common our country, our Guyana home?” he questioned.
Nagamootoo also said that while this election will be contested on issue rather than personalities, he has every confidence that the APNU/AFC alliance will be victorious come May 11.
“I have every reason to feel that as President, David will be just and fair, and that he will put Guyana first, and help restore our beloved country to the place of respect and dignity in the Caribbean and the rest of the world,” said Nagamootoo.
