The Alliance For Change (AFC) has announced that it will be contesting the General and Regional Elections on September 1, but though the prospects of it being part of a “combined opposition” appears slim, the party intends to form alliances with “liked-minded” individuals.

Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes told reporters this morning that the AFC went “above and beyond” to find a resolution that would have resulted in a combined opposition.

The AFC was in talks with its former partner in government – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU),  but those talks ended in April with no agreement.

“What I can say is that I am very, very happy with the endeavors of our negotiators at several stages, and I certainly at a personal level, after that did not bear fruit, endeavored to try and reach a position in which we thought that we can offer to the country a combined opposition,” Hughes told reporters.

He said the AFC remains committed to supporting the best interest of the country.

“What I will say, is that we are always committed to whatever is in the best interest of Guyana, that is always our first and foremost position and I can say that without any hesitation that we have done our utmost best up to the very last moment to attempt to arrive at a position in which we can offer to Guyana the optimal choice. And we are convinced, and confident in our position at the moment, and that is where we are, I am afraid,” Hughes told reporters.

The APNU – led by Opposition and PNCR Leader, Aubrey Norton – has moved ahead with a coalition with the Working Peoples Alliance (WPA) , a smaller party which had also formed part of a coalition of parties under the 2015-2020 Cummingsburg Accord.

The Alliance for Change Leader said he is “confident in the fortunes of the Alliance For Change,” adding that within the next three months the party will be making some “very exciting announcements.”

Questioned on whether those announcements include a partnership with City Billionaire Azruddin Mohamed, Hughes said the two sides have had no such discussion. Mr. Mohamed has announced his run for President, but has also stated that he will not form any coalition.

Hughes said added competition in the Presidential race would force the contesting parties to improve their game and offer the electorate a variety of policies and programmes to consider.

“I welcome Mr. Mohamed into this election cycle. It gives Guyanese a wider range of choices and anything that offers the electorate a wider range of choices is good. I think for a long time, we would have had limited choices up to 2006 and Mr. Mohamed, clearly, would have had an impact on the electorate and we welcome him,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the AFC, David Patterson, plans to establish “alliances with liked-minded persons” to contest the upcoming elections.

“Technically, there is until Nomination Day, that is when technically when all possibilities are closed, so, bear in mind that. Then there is also other possibilities of a joinder list and those things, 10 days before election,” Patterson said.

In the meantime, the AFC said it is putting together “an extremely strong team” of candidates that will have some surprises.

It intends to focus on cost of living, governance, indigenous development and indigenous land rights, education, health reform, adjustment in taxation, infrastructure development, and address the many issues plaguing the country’s oil and gas sectors.

The party’s announcements and plans for the upcoming elections were also conveyed to the Akawaio, Arekuna, Patamona and Makushi people  in the Kapohn language  by AFC’s Advisor, Laura George.

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