New political party A New and United Guyana (ANUG) has announced the election of its first Executive Committee, with co-founders Timothy Jonas and Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran elected as Chairperson and General Secretary, respectively.
The elections took place last Sunday at the party’s first Members Meeting, where its constitution was also adopted.
According to a press release issued yesterday by the party, the formal election of the Executive Committee brings an end to the Steering Committee that had been in place since the party was formed in January.
Apart from Jonas and Ramkarran, Kian Jabour was elected as Assistant Secretary, while Jonathan Yearwood was elected Finance Secretary.
ANUG said an Executive Committee was also elected to support the elected office bearers but its membership was not named.
Ramkarran, the release said, told the meeting that the party will be deemed a success once enough votes are obtained for it to have the influence required to meaningfully contribute to the political process and where none of the two major parties have a majority in parliament. “Now is a good time to be an independent third party, since the AFC can no longer be seen as a viable and independent third party having joined with the APNU,” he was quoted as saying. “ANUG will never make that mistake and believes that the potential to influence policy and the political process is through the National Assembly and as such ANUG will not join any major party to seek government. It is of the highest importance that ANUG maintains its independence,” he added.
Additionally, updates were presented to the members on activities by ANUG at outreaches, social media activities and meetings with organisations which would have been undertaken in recent months.
According to the release, Jabot used his presentations to elaborate on the importance of the involvement of youths in activities that embrace the elimination of discrimination in all forms. Another member, Akini Blair, highlighted issues pertaining to Linden and noted that despite its importance geographically, Linden has never been a priority area for infrastructural and other developmental advancements on any national agenda. He stated that ANUG in its priority goals will address the needs of Linden as it sets out its aims and objectives, addressing economic and employment opportunities as well as improved living conditions under shared governance. “Linden must be seen as part of a broader vision for our beloved Guyana, and unless Linden develops, Guyana will never advance the way it should,” Blair was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, the release said Dr. Henry Jeffrey, who is also a party co-founder, gave participants an insight into the ANUG proposals for a different form of governance. Jeffrey was quoted as saying that a “shared governance arrangement in which all political parties are included is the only way forward for Guyana. Such an arrangement will bring an end to the blame game where Indo- Guyanese blame Afro- Guyanese and Afro – Guyanese blame Indo- Guyanese for what the government of the day is doing.” The release added that Jeffrey expressed optimism that, over time, “a united public opinion would hold both of the major parties accountable.”
