A coalition of shared disgrace

Apr 03, 2025 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Peeping Tom…

Kaieteur News- The APNU and the AFC deserve each other. They deserve to be shackled together in a coalition of failure, an alliance destined to remain on the losing side of history.

They are the unrepentant architects of one of the most ignoble chapters in Guyana’s democratic history, a coalition that sought to hold an entire nation hostage in broad daylight, attempting to steal an election with an audacity that stunned even the most cynical observers of political corruption. That these actions took place in the midst of a national pandemic, when citizens needed leadership and stability more than ever, shows the power-hungry nature of these political relics who should never again be entrusted with public office.

One might expect, in the aftermath of such an assault on democracy, that the APNU and AFC would acknowledge their wrongdoing, if not in words then at least in conduct. But no—these are parties still wedded to the discredited narratives that made them global pariahs.

It is no small feat for a government to earn the wrath of the United States in the form of travel sanctions—sanctions specifically tied to their attempt to subvert the will of the people. Never before in Guyana’s history had such measures been imposed because of electoral conduct.

And yet even in disgrace, the APNU and AFC refuse to reckon with their misdeeds. They continue to traffic in the same falsehoods that led to their downfall, oblivious to the fact that no electorate with a shred of dignity would restore such an outfit to power.

But let us assume, for the sake of argument, that the APNU and AFC could somehow erase the memory of 2020 from the public consciousness. Would they still be worthy of political trust?

The answer remains an emphatic no. The working class—the backbone of Guyana—was treated with utter contempt under their governance. While their cronies were rewarded with plush appointments, the ordinary citizen, particularly those in the sugar belt, faced mass dismissals.

The APNU+AFC government, in its infinite wisdom, thought it prudent to decimate an entire industry, leaving thousands unemployed with no viable alternatives. A major investor walked from the bauxite sector leading to the loss of jobs, and private investment was stagnant.

The working class has no reason to extend mercy to these parties. Their policies were never meant for the common man; they were for the well-connected, the friends of the elite, the beneficiaries of backroom deals, including land deals. The fact that the PPP is no better does not absolve the APNU+AFC for its betrayal.

Even within the coalition itself, greed and mistrust led to its implosion. The collapse of the APNU+AFC government between 2015 and 2020 was as much an indictment of their incompetence as it was of their insatiable desire for power.  How is it that in the middle of a coalition government, the APNU and the AFC contested local government elections in 2018 on separate tickets? It shows the cracks in the coalition.

The coalition was never a partnership—it was a hostage situation. Whichever party held the presidency wielded absolute power, sidelining the other party at will. The AFC, once a promising third force, was reduced to an obedient lapdog, barely able to whimper as APNU dictated the terms. Their demise was inevitable, not because of external forces, but because their arrangement was always untenable. The lesson should have been learned: when political parties unite out of desperation rather than principle, their fate is sealed from the beginning.

And yet, here we are again, with the APNU and AFC deluding themselves into thinking they have a fighting chance in 2025. The truth is, whether they contest separately or together, they are engaged in a losing battle. The election is not about whether APNU+AFC can win; it is about whether they can salvage whatever remains of their credibility.

Their supporters saw how they distributed lands to their backers in a last-ditch effort to loot the State. They saw how the coalition’s recklessness plunged the nation into turmoil when leadership was most needed. They saw how, even in opposition, the APNU and AFC have been incapable of introspection or remorse.

What, then, is the purpose of their continued political existence? If they cannot win and they cannot govern, what justification remains for their presence? If they had any concern for the nation beyond their own ambitions, they would step aside and allow space for new political entrants, for individuals and groups untainted by the disgrace of 2020. But that would require humility, a trait neither APNU nor AFC has ever demonstrated.

The APNU and AFC deserve each other, just as Guyana deserves better. Their coalition is not one of strength but of shared disgrace. Their future is not in governance but in the footnotes of history, where they should remain as a reminder of what happens when politicians mistake power for purpose and arrogance for wisdom.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)   

 

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