–former executive says party resorting to creating Facebook talking points to mislead the vulnerable
ALTHOUGH the people of Guyana have been eager to hear about the Alliance For Change (AFC)’s policy positions, the party has demonstrated that it has none and is more focused on feeding misinformed rhetoric to the vulnerable, former AFC Executive Leonard Craig has said.
Craig, in a scathing critique of the AFC, has accused the party of abandoning meaningful political discourse in favour of sensationalism and misleading the public, particularly targeting the vulnerable through social media.
In his regular opinion column titled “AFC’s new latrine activism”, published on September 23 in the Guyana Chronicle, Craig lambasted the AFC’s current leadership for what he calls “latrine activism,” implying that the party has degenerated into a politically bankrupt entity more focused on divisive rhetoric than serious policy-making.
He noted that a major area of vulnerability for a good section of the population is the irrational expectations about what the current income from oil can do and when. He then said that this very vulnerability that exists among the people is essentially a vulnerability of government incumbency.
Craig said that it can become a contagion if not comprehensively addressed and managed, and as such, these expectations can easily be fed and run out of control with situations such as the latrine activism by the AFC.
According to Craig, the AFC is deliberately fabricating and amplifying baseless claims to generate talking points that circulate primarily on Facebook, where the party seeks to manipulate less-informed audiences.
He alleged that the leadership is “creating and spreading narratives” with the sole aim of discrediting the government and creating social unrest, instead of offering viable alternatives or constructive criticism.
Further, the former AFC Executive has questioned the AFC Leader’s, Nigel Hughes emphasis on the number of pit latrines still in existence at schools in Guyana.
Craig said: “For an issue to be escalated to the level of being addressed by the leader [Nigel Hughes] himself, on a panel with other presenters, indicates that it is a flagship policy issue of the party.”
He also highlighted that the AFC has strayed far from its original mandate, which was to offer a third-force alternative in Guyanese politics. He recalled a time when the party had bold ideas and broad public support, lamenting its decline into what he described as a party “devoid of ideas” and “grasping at straws to remain relevant.”
This shift, Craig argued, demonstrates the AFC’s desperation in the face of waning public support and internal discord.
Further, he had said: “Of recent, the AFC seems to be well funded by some person or entity and party principals are under pressure to demonstrate continuous activism; but the AFC remains an infecund party, vacuous and completely barren of ideas, so it latches on to minutiae that sounds noble and create Facebook talking points for those vulnerable to be misled.”
His harsh critique reflects growing discontent with the AFC, not just from its former leadership, but from a broader segment of the public that once looked to the party for a fresh approach in Guyanese politics.
Craig had also mentioned that Hughes did not reveal that there were almost 90 such latrine facilities when APNU+AFC left office in 2020.
“This means that under Minister Manickchand, over a dozen latrines were converted to modern sanitary blocks. Come on Mr. Hughes, acknowledge that some progress was made.
“He also failed to reveal that during the tenure of the APNU+AFC, more than 25 of the said latrines were either built or renovated and at least a dozen were completely neglected and condemned. So, it seems ok for APNU+AFC to build some latrines and neglect others, yet those very same latrines form part of Hughes’ selective outrage a few years later,” the former AFC executive said.
Craig then disclosed that Hughes did not also tell the public that some of these facilities come under Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) managed by APNU+AFC, which received budgetary support from central government to construct sanitary blocks.
He said: “These RDCs have funds sitting on the books awaiting execution. The public should note that cabinet has approved funds already passed in the 2024 budget to renovate and repaint all schools across the country, including those in inland communities. The budget catered for improvements to sanitation blocks, water facilities, flooring and roofing, etc.
“RDCs are frontline responders to the needs of schools in their region. I am told that there is no record of any RDC administered by APNU+AFC with an active request to convert latrines to water closets that has been denied by the central ministry.”
He added: “Part of the new-found latrine activism also highlights AFC’s own failures and Mr Hughes should take several rows back until he can demonstrate, via certified RDC minutes, that AFC councillors raised this issue at any meeting over the last four years.”