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Our Record of Achievement

BY WORKING TOGETHER, OUR COALITION HAS STARTED TO PUT GUYANA ON THE RIGHT PATH.

Our government came to power on a simple promise: to deliver a good life for all Guyanese. A simple promise that every citizen should have the opportunity to be the best he or she can be, ensuring job security, access to quality public services and the promotion of social cohesion.

The Guyana we inherited was heading backwards. During their 23 years in government, the PPP’s dishonesty and incompetence saw violent crime increase, infrastructure crumble and education standards fall.

We did not create this mess that Guyana is in, but we will take responsibility for fixing it and building a secure society for all Guyanese people.

By working together, our coalition has started to put Guyana on the right path.

We have made a start, but we need more time to finish the job and build a better future for Guyana.

Only by continuing to follow this plan will we be able to guarantee a better future for all Guyanese.


Contribute to the movement. Better Must Come 

Our Leadership & Parliamentarians

Nigel Hughes

Party Leader

David Patterson

MP / Chairman

Michael Carrington

Vice Chairman

Khemraj Ramjattan

MP / Founder

Raphael Trotman

General Secretary / Founder

Cathy Hughes

MP

Deonarine Ricky Ramsaroop

MP

Sherod Duncan

MP

Juretha Fernandes

MP

Devin Sears

MP

Haimraj Rajkumar

MP

Beverley Alert

MP

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PRESS STATEMENTS FROM AFC’S APRIL 17 PRESS CONFERENCE
 
AFC gravely concerned at the non-implementation of the recommendations of the International observer missions to Guyana’s national and regional elections 2020
 
The Alliance For Change- (AFC) continues to be gravely concerned that as Guyana rapidly approaches the 2025 elections, the Guyana Elections Commission appears uninterested in implementing the key recommendations of the international observer missions which included the Carter Centre, the Organisation of American States – the OAS, the European Union (EU), the Commonwealth to name a few as outlined in their final reports.
 
These fundamental recommendations were well articulated at the time and recommended to ensure that the challenges and errors of the 2020 elections debacle would not be repeated . That with improvements in the systems at GECOM Guyanese citizens would be confident in the organisation’s ability to deliver free and fair elections to the people of Guyana. 
 
It is important to recall some of these recommendations:
The OAS, Carter Centre, and EU observer missions all called for a comprehensive reform of the voter registration system. The undertaking of a house-to-house registration process at the earliest opportunity on completion of the 2020 election and
a thorough update of the decades old voters register well ahead of the next election cycle based on inclusive consultations and political consensus.  This has not been done.
 
The Commonwealth and EU went further to highlight the urgent need for electoral and constitutional reform to address polarization of the nation including the merits and demerits of the Elections Commission and the electoral system.
 
The OAS, Carter Centre and European Union all highlighted the importance of the use of technology to ensure timely release and publication of results and the need for clear
 
 
written procedures for the transmission and tabulation of results to ensure consistency and traceability and the possibility for all authorised stakeholders to examine SOP’s.
 
Objections to the use of private residents as polling stations, the need for campaign finance regulation, regular engagement by Gecom with stakeholders, technology to assist in the identification of persons at the place of poll were all recommendations that GECOM to date has not informed this nation that they have examined at all.  This was clearly highlighted at the meeting the AFC’s requested with GECOM – its Chair and Commissioners.
 
A week ago the Alliance For Change met with representatives from the EU elections Exploratory mission who confirmed that out of their 26 recommendations only two have been implemented five years later.  The Alliance For Change has heard nothing from GECOM since our meeting with regards to the several concerns raised and continues to raise the alarm that GECOM seems ready to go forward to the 2025 elections which much of the previous errors and challenges unresolved.
                                                                                                                                    End
AFC Statement on Mining
 
The Alliance for Change (AFC) commends the Ministry of Natural Resources, specifically the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) on its reform measures to contain gold smuggling and money laundering in Guyana. The AFC fully supports that respect for the rule of law is priority.
The AFC however, has concerns into several practices of the government of Guyana and its agencies specifically to that of the GGMC with regards to implementation of key aspects of mining laws and regulations and that of common law resulting from court judgements.
 
The ongoing delay in issuance of gold trade licenses must also have a system that supports gold traders and especially the employees of these establishment as they have their families  to support and therefore GGMC must have an interim response to meet these needs and situation; Guyana’s economy also needs to be secured.
There are numerous reports of legal claims of small miners being revoked and reissued to bigger miners. This is posing a challenge to the small miners who are also trying to support their livelihoods and this goes for both indigenous persons and non indigenous. 
 
We call for transparent disclosure into the criteria being used in the reallocation of mining concessions as we need to ensure that there is equality in access to the use of the natural resources of Guyana and also that there is a system that ensures that effective monitoring of mining activities takes place with regards to environmental protection and human rights.
We have witnessed how the government agencies, specifically GGMC lack of respect towards court judgements and this is specific to the Akawaios and Arecunas of the Upper Mazaruni.
 
In December, 2022, a judgement made recognizing the aboriginal land rights of Indigenous Peoples and also called for government agencies to consult with and seek the consent of the Akawaios and Arecunas of the Upper Mazaruni on anything related to the issuance of land or concessions to any third party. Jawalla Village today is facing the lack of GGMC’s respect for court judgements and lack of implementing its role in ensuring that natural resource extraction also respects environmental and human rights protections as it applies to Indigenous Peoples.
 
We call on GGMC and by extension the government of Guyana to respect the right to free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples. We also recognize that persons have invested and need to be supported in their investment and capital, but this must not take place at the blatant disregard to environment and human rights protections.
We call on the government of Guyana to respect Indigenous Peoples rights to healthy waterways and ecosystems that is needed to have thriving cultures.
                                                                                                                                                End.
5 hours ago

PRESS STATEMENTS FROM AFC’S APRIL 17 PRESS CONFERENCE

AFC gravely concerned at the non-implementation of the recommendations of the International observer missions to Guyana’s national and regional elections 2020

The Alliance For Change- (AFC) continues to be gravely concerned that as Guyana rapidly approaches the 2025 elections, the Guyana Elections Commission appears uninterested in implementing the key recommendations of the international observer missions which included the Carter Centre, the Organisation of American States – the OAS, the European Union (EU), the Commonwealth to name a few as outlined in their final reports.

These fundamental recommendations were well articulated at the time and recommended to ensure that the challenges and errors of the 2020 elections debacle would not be repeated . That with improvements in the systems at GECOM Guyanese citizens would be confident in the organisation’s ability to deliver free and fair elections to the people of Guyana.

It is important to recall some of these recommendations:
The OAS, Carter Centre, and EU observer missions all called for a comprehensive reform of the voter registration system. The undertaking of a house-to-house registration process at the earliest opportunity on completion of the 2020 election and
a thorough update of the decades old voters register well ahead of the next election cycle based on inclusive consultations and political consensus. This has not been done.

The Commonwealth and EU went further to highlight the urgent need for electoral and constitutional reform to address polarization of the nation including the merits and demerits of the Elections Commission and the electoral system.

The OAS, Carter Centre and European Union all highlighted the importance of the use of technology to ensure timely release and publication of results and the need for clear


written procedures for the transmission and tabulation of results to ensure consistency and traceability and the possibility for all authorised stakeholders to examine SOP’s.

Objections to the use of private residents as polling stations, the need for campaign finance regulation, regular engagement by Gecom with stakeholders, technology to assist in the identification of persons at the place of poll were all recommendations that GECOM to date has not informed this nation that they have examined at all. This was clearly highlighted at the meeting the AFC’s requested with GECOM – its Chair and Commissioners.

A week ago the Alliance For Change met with representatives from the EU elections Exploratory mission who confirmed that out of their 26 recommendations only two have been implemented five years later. The Alliance For Change has heard nothing from GECOM since our meeting with regards to the several concerns raised and continues to raise the alarm that GECOM seems ready to go forward to the 2025 elections which much of the previous errors and challenges unresolved.
End
AFC Statement on Mining

The Alliance for Change (AFC) commends the Ministry of Natural Resources, specifically the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) on its reform measures to contain gold smuggling and money laundering in Guyana. The AFC fully supports that respect for the rule of law is priority.
The AFC however, has concerns into several practices of the government of Guyana and its agencies specifically to that of the GGMC with regards to implementation of key aspects of mining laws and regulations and that of common law resulting from court judgements.

The ongoing delay in issuance of gold trade licenses must also have a system that supports gold traders and especially the employees of these establishment as they have their families to support and therefore GGMC must have an interim response to meet these needs and situation; Guyana’s economy also needs to be secured.
There are numerous reports of legal claims of small miners being revoked and reissued to bigger miners. This is posing a challenge to the small miners who are also trying to support their livelihoods and this goes for both indigenous persons and non indigenous.

We call for transparent disclosure into the criteria being used in the reallocation of mining concessions as we need to ensure that there is equality in access to the use of the natural resources of Guyana and also that there is a system that ensures that effective monitoring of mining activities takes place with regards to environmental protection and human rights.
We have witnessed how the government agencies, specifically GGMC lack of respect towards court judgements and this is specific to the Akawaios and Arecunas of the Upper Mazaruni.

In December, 2022, a judgement made recognizing the aboriginal land rights of Indigenous Peoples and also called for government agencies to consult with and seek the consent of the Akawaios and Arecunas of the Upper Mazaruni on anything related to the issuance of land or concessions to any third party. Jawalla Village today is facing the lack of GGMC’s respect for court judgements and lack of implementing its role in ensuring that natural resource extraction also respects environmental and human rights protections as it applies to Indigenous Peoples.

We call on GGMC and by extension the government of Guyana to respect the right to free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples. We also recognize that persons have invested and need to be supported in their investment and capital, but this must not take place at the blatant disregard to environment and human rights protections.
We call on the government of Guyana to respect Indigenous Peoples rights to healthy waterways and ecosystems that is needed to have thriving cultures.
End.
... See MoreSee Less

Easter reminds us that after every struggle, there’s a breakthrough. Just as Jesus rose, Guyana will rise too. Hold on to your faith — Better Must Come!
#goodfriday  #BetterMustCome #Easter #BetterMustCome #afcguna
7 hours ago

Easter reminds us that after every struggle, there’s a breakthrough. Just as Jesus rose, Guyana will rise too. Hold on to your faith — Better Must Come!
#goodfriday #BetterMustCome #Easter #BetterMustCome #afcguna
... See MoreSee Less

1 day ago

AFC PRESS CONFERENCE THURSDAY APRIL 17, 2025 ... See MoreSee Less

The Alliance For Change wishes all NGSA pupils the very best today!
Your hard work, dreams, and determination are the future of Guyana. Believe in yourself — you’ve got this!

Nigel Hughes and the Better Must Come team are cheering you on.
#BetterMustCome #FutureForward #unitedGuyana
2 days ago

The Alliance For Change wishes all NGSA pupils the very best today!
Your hard work, dreams, and determination are the future of Guyana. Believe in yourself — you’ve got this!

Nigel Hughes and the Better Must Come team are cheering you on.
#BetterMustCome #FutureForward #unitedGuyana
... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago

R/B INTERVIEW WITH RDC 10 VICE-CHAIR AND HON. DEVIN SEARS, MP ON LINDEN CRISIS ... See MoreSee Less

6 days ago

... See MoreSee Less

How we have collectively failed the people of Linden again.

In 2012 when three citizens of Guyana and residents of  Linden were shot and killed as a result of the actions of the Guyana Police Force, the community of Linden was shut down, the community signaled to us all that the Guyana Police Force could not continue to act with impunity.

President Ramotar convened a Commission of Inquiry into the events which made a series of observations and recommendations.
There were several eminent jurists on the Commission including former Chief Justice of Jamaica, former AG of Jamaica, Former Chancellor of Guyana, former Justice of Appeal now Chair person of GECOM and eminent Trinidadian jurist and legal practioner Ms Dana Seethal SC.

With that sort of fire power assembled in Guyana to examine our police systems and the impact an event like the 2012 killings  had on our fragile community we expected and did receive some very incisive observations and strong recommendations.

The Report was not a report on the operations of any political party while in office it was a report on how we operated as a country with clear recommendations about what we should do as a country in relation to the management and conduct of our premier law enforcement agency, the Guyana Police Force.

Included in the observations and recommendations of these eminent regional and local jurists were the following.

1. “We got the feeling that a significant number of persons who testified view
the police cynically as agents of the government acting solely in the interest of the government and by extension the political party forming the administration.
There was no concrete evidence before us to substantiate that view but it is said that perception is nine-tenths of reality. This view can only be changed if there is
an insistence on the highest professional behaviour on the part of the police and the government demonstrates that politics and policing cannot be compatible bedfellows. There is nothing more debilitating to proper policing than having
political considerations or allegiance influencing the decisions and behaviour of the police to a particular segment of the society which is known or perceived to be antagonistic to a political persuasion. All Guyanese regardless of their political persuasion are entitled to equal treatment under the Constitution and ordinary law of the country. Our observations are intended to deal with the
perception and our urging is that the perception be not ignored but that urgent steps be taken to deal with it as if it were a reality.” Paragraph 187
2. “Police Forces traditionally resist having independent bodies investigate complaints against their members, nevertheless we recommend that the political will be garnered to provide for this. It works.” Paragraph 186
3. “The police must be held accountable for their behaviour and where abuses occur these should be independently investigated in a professional way and thereafter appropriate action be taken whether through criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings. Such an authority must have the necessary powersand resources to be effective lest citizens demonstrate no confidence in it and the
police treat it with disdain. There is legislation in the Region and in the Commonwealth which could be examined and thereafter appropriate provisions
be enacted. “ Paragraph 185 of the Report.
4. “We recommend that the government urgently implements the “Human Rights Standards and Practice for the Police” as developed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, New York and Geneva, 2004. This should form an integral part of the recruit training programme, and for all ranks and officers on-going carousel courses. If the police abide the United Nation’s standards, Guyana Police Force will be transformed into amodern, efficient and professional organization, the envy of all civilized societies.” Paragraphs 190 and 191. 
5. “We venture the view that such an audit team should be comprised of local, regional and Commonwealth experts, “to carry out a structural and functional review of the Guyana Police Force and recommend both short term measures and a longer
term strategic development programme to increase police effectiveness and public reassurance”. Paragraph 197.

As a country with the clear demonstration of our fault lines exposed by our regional and local experts, one would have thought that as a country we would have summoned the pollical will to address our national embarrassments. 

Even that we were unable to do after three separate administrations in the country.

In the interim we have had the Henry Boys murders, stabbing of policemen during heightened electoral tensions, executions of Orin Boston in his bed and the execution of Quindon Bacchus.

The RSS which was invited to assist with the investigations into the Henry bays murders when there were offers of from very credible  international forensic experts further added to our collective inability as a country to rise above our persistent domestic ethnic divisions.

So here we are in 2025 with a virtual repeat of the actions of the Guyana Police Force from 2012 ,exposing all our inadequacies and failures of action.

Another Commission of Inquiry would be a waste of time particularly  when we have failed to even consider the recommendations of the 2012 Commission of Inquiry.
Exactly what do we say to the people of Linden who we have collectively failed.

The GPF lost the confidence of Linden since 2012 and have done nothing to rebuild it. 

It would be inconceivable that we can expect such an agency to conduct anything close to an independent inquiry particularly while the current Commissioner of Police was intimately involved in the 2012 shootings.

Inviting the RSS without the consent of the people of Linden, to assist and or conduct an investigation, after their actions in the Henry Boys murder would be a further insult  and injury to the good people of Linden.

Repeatedly we have rejected the observations of the various heads of the Police Complaints Authority for independent investigators and an independent agency to investigate Police excesses. 
We have collectively failed as country where our friends from the Caribbean have been kind enough to show us a way out which we have collectively rejected.

A start would be to immediately establish a new independent investigative authority under the constitution vested with the full  powers to investigate and prosecute  law enforcement agencies, allegations of Ministerial  and official misdeeds. This body will not report to the executive but directly to the legislative arm of the State with and without confidential disclosures. It will be headed by a professional who is vested with independent constitutional authority to conduct prosecutions. 

For the families of the deceased they should not only be compensated for the loss they have suffered as a result of the death of their family members but exemplary damages not less than ninety  million dollars per family should be awarded to them for the failure of the Guyana Police Force and all of us collectively,  to have adhered to recommendations from regional and local jurists since 2012.

If we are all collectively serious about building a modern Guyana with the traditional protections of the rule of law, collective responsibility for our actions and the implementation of progressive recommendations from our regional jurists,  we should all bow our heads in shame for having failed the good people of Linden yet again and leaving them exposed yet again to  more  fatal police excess. 

If we were a real country,  we would have expected the resignations of the Minister and the Commissioner of police, not as a political act but as an admission of the failure to implement recommendations which are a decade old which have resulted in a repeat of an eminently obvious consequence of our failure to act.
We now have more money which we believe will somehow magically will  correct or self correct our fault lines and maladjusted society.

My humble opinion is that unless we accept responsibility for acknowledging our ever increasing divisions and start to address them, then no amount of money is going to correct our deep and persistent fault lines.

To the people of Linden as always, courageous and willing  to stand up for your rights, may you continue to remind us of how we continue to fail to protect your citizens.

All you have ever asked for was “equal rights and justice.”
6 days ago

How we have collectively failed the people of Linden again.

In 2012 when three citizens of Guyana and residents of Linden were shot and killed as a result of the actions of the Guyana Police Force, the community of Linden was shut down, the community signaled to us all that the Guyana Police Force could not continue to act with impunity.

President Ramotar convened a Commission of Inquiry into the events which made a series of observations and recommendations.
There were several eminent jurists on the Commission including former Chief Justice of Jamaica, former AG of Jamaica, Former Chancellor of Guyana, former Justice of Appeal now Chair person of GECOM and eminent Trinidadian jurist and legal practioner Ms Dana Seethal SC.

With that sort of fire power assembled in Guyana to examine our police systems and the impact an event like the 2012 killings had on our fragile community we expected and did receive some very incisive observations and strong recommendations.

The Report was not a report on the operations of any political party while in office it was a report on how we operated as a country with clear recommendations about what we should do as a country in relation to the management and conduct of our premier law enforcement agency, the Guyana Police Force.

Included in the observations and recommendations of these eminent regional and local jurists were the following.

1. “We got the feeling that a significant number of persons who testified view
the police cynically as agents of the government acting solely in the interest of the government and by extension the political party forming the administration.
There was no concrete evidence before us to substantiate that view but it is said that perception is nine-tenths of reality. This view can only be changed if there is
an insistence on the highest professional behaviour on the part of the police and the government demonstrates that politics and policing cannot be compatible bedfellows. There is nothing more debilitating to proper policing than having
political considerations or allegiance influencing the decisions and behaviour of the police to a particular segment of the society which is known or perceived to be antagonistic to a political persuasion. All Guyanese regardless of their political persuasion are entitled to equal treatment under the Constitution and ordinary law of the country. Our observations are intended to deal with the
perception and our urging is that the perception be not ignored but that urgent steps be taken to deal with it as if it were a reality.” Paragraph 187
2. “Police Forces traditionally resist having independent bodies investigate complaints against their members, nevertheless we recommend that the political will be garnered to provide for this. It works.” Paragraph 186
3. “The police must be held accountable for their behaviour and where abuses occur these should be independently investigated in a professional way and thereafter appropriate action be taken whether through criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings. Such an authority must have the necessary powersand resources to be effective lest citizens demonstrate no confidence in it and the
police treat it with disdain. There is legislation in the Region and in the Commonwealth which could be examined and thereafter appropriate provisions
be enacted. “ Paragraph 185 of the Report.
4. “We recommend that the government urgently implements the “Human Rights Standards and Practice for the Police” as developed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, New York and Geneva, 2004. This should form an integral part of the recruit training programme, and for all ranks and officers on-going carousel courses. If the police abide the United Nation’s standards, Guyana Police Force will be transformed into amodern, efficient and professional organization, the envy of all civilized societies.” Paragraphs 190 and 191.
5. “We venture the view that such an audit team should be comprised of local, regional and Commonwealth experts, “to carry out a structural and functional review of the Guyana Police Force and recommend both short term measures and a longer
term strategic development programme to increase police effectiveness and public reassurance”. Paragraph 197.

As a country with the clear demonstration of our fault lines exposed by our regional and local experts, one would have thought that as a country we would have summoned the pollical will to address our national embarrassments.

Even that we were unable to do after three separate administrations in the country.

In the interim we have had the Henry Boys murders, stabbing of policemen during heightened electoral tensions, executions of Orin Boston in his bed and the execution of Quindon Bacchus.

The RSS which was invited to assist with the investigations into the Henry bays murders when there were offers of from very credible international forensic experts further added to our collective inability as a country to rise above our persistent domestic ethnic divisions.

So here we are in 2025 with a virtual repeat of the actions of the Guyana Police Force from 2012 ,exposing all our inadequacies and failures of action.

Another Commission of Inquiry would be a waste of time particularly when we have failed to even consider the recommendations of the 2012 Commission of Inquiry.
Exactly what do we say to the people of Linden who we have collectively failed.

The GPF lost the confidence of Linden since 2012 and have done nothing to rebuild it.

It would be inconceivable that we can expect such an agency to conduct anything close to an independent inquiry particularly while the current Commissioner of Police was intimately involved in the 2012 shootings.

Inviting the RSS without the consent of the people of Linden, to assist and or conduct an investigation, after their actions in the Henry Boys murder would be a further insult and injury to the good people of Linden.

Repeatedly we have rejected the observations of the various heads of the Police Complaints Authority for independent investigators and an independent agency to investigate Police excesses.
We have collectively failed as country where our friends from the Caribbean have been kind enough to show us a way out which we have collectively rejected.

A start would be to immediately establish a new independent investigative authority under the constitution vested with the full powers to investigate and prosecute law enforcement agencies, allegations of Ministerial and official misdeeds. This body will not report to the executive but directly to the legislative arm of the State with and without confidential disclosures. It will be headed by a professional who is vested with independent constitutional authority to conduct prosecutions.

For the families of the deceased they should not only be compensated for the loss they have suffered as a result of the death of their family members but exemplary damages not less than ninety million dollars per family should be awarded to them for the failure of the Guyana Police Force and all of us collectively, to have adhered to recommendations from regional and local jurists since 2012.

If we are all collectively serious about building a modern Guyana with the traditional protections of the rule of law, collective responsibility for our actions and the implementation of progressive recommendations from our regional jurists, we should all bow our heads in shame for having failed the good people of Linden yet again and leaving them exposed yet again to more fatal police excess.

If we were a real country, we would have expected the resignations of the Minister and the Commissioner of police, not as a political act but as an admission of the failure to implement recommendations which are a decade old which have resulted in a repeat of an eminently obvious consequence of our failure to act.
We now have more money which we believe will somehow magically will correct or self correct our fault lines and maladjusted society.

My humble opinion is that unless we accept responsibility for acknowledging our ever increasing divisions and start to address them, then no amount of money is going to correct our deep and persistent fault lines.

To the people of Linden as always, courageous and willing to stand up for your rights, may you continue to remind us of how we continue to fail to protect your citizens.

All you have ever asked for was “equal rights and justice.”
... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago

CRISIS IN LINDEN: LIVE UPDATES WITH RDC VICE-CHAIRMAN MARK GORING AND MP DEAVIN SEARS ... See MoreSee Less

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