The Alliance For Change (AFC) on Saturday launched its campaign for Local Government Elections (LGE) with the party’s chairman Khemraj Ramjattan defending the decision to close some sugar estates and the right of the party to contest the polls.
A sparse group of just about 30 persons listened as Ramjattan, also the Minister of Public Security, spoke at length at the rally held at New Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice. He denied the allegation that the AFC fraudulently procured the names of residents listed as backers of its candidates for the November 12 LGE in the Whim/ Bloomfield Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) area. According to Ramjattan, PPP activists had twisted the tale.
A court action has been filed by Shafraz Beekham, a candidate for the PPP, who is seeking to have the listing of 50 names, including his, as official nominators of rival AFC candidates voided. Beekham’s attorney Anil Nandlall has said that the police were last week invited by Justice Navindra Singh, who is hearing the matter, to investigate the allegation and a report is expected to be presented to him on Wednesday
