One day after three key members of the Alliance For Change (AFC) switched allegiance to the APNU, party leader Nigel Hughes announced that coalition talks with the APNU are unlikely to continue. The unexpected departure of Sherod Duncan, Juretha Fernandes, and Ricky Ramsaroop has taken the AFC by surprise, prompting the immediate cancellation of their memberships.
Following the announcement of their switch, the AFC stated that its recent proposal to the APNU had not been well received by the former coalition partner. Speaking to reporters outside a meeting with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Hughes emphasized that the time for negotiations has come to an end.
“I don’t think it would assist either side to delve into what did or did not happen. That time is gone, and we are all going to concentrate on the elections,” he said. Hughes expressed confidence that the AFC’s policies would resonate with the public once presented.
Regarding the departure of the three senior members, Hughes reinforced that the AFC’s Constitution prohibits members from pledging allegiance to another political entity while still affiliated with the party. “Those persons have ceased to be members, and so the APNU now has three former members of the Alliance For Change,” he stated.
The APNU has announced that Juretha Fernandes, previously the AFC’s point person on Finance, will serve as its Prime Ministerial Candidate for the upcoming elections. Hughes clarified that Fernandes was not part of any discussions concerning the Prime Ministerial position, noting that negotiations focused on policy rather than individual candidates.
“Discussions were about principles and policies, not personalities,” Hughes explained, adding that the only personality discussed was the Presidential Candidate, which the APNU insisted should be identified by the PNC.
APNU Presidential Candidate and PNC Leader Aubrey Norton responded to the recent developments, stating that the coalition will move forward. “We spent months trying to find a coalition. With election day approaching, we cannot continue to delay, so we have made firm decisions on how we are moving forward,” he said.
Coalition talks between the APNU and AFC began over six months ago but struggled to reach a consensus on key issues. The AFC initially demanded a 65% share of seats and positions in the coalition, which was later reduced to 55% and ultimately to 35% in recent negotiations. However, the APNU did not find favor with several aspects of the AFC’s latest proposal.
As the political landscape shifts, both parties are now focused on their respective campaigns as the elections approach.
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