Given the race factor in elections APNU’s focus for 2020 will see increased...

in government as ministers serve at the discretion of the President.

Mr Bulkan’s letter also states “... there is a narrative out there being peddled by the PPP that ‘they [are] coming back.’ How, I have to ask myself, will this happen given the recognition that race has always, and continues to be, the bedrock of voter alignment? For this we have to look

to the racial breakdown of the population. For East Indians it was 51.93% in 1980, 48.63% in 1991, 43.43% in 2002 and 39.83% in 2012. For African/Black it was 30.82% in 1980, 32.26 in 1991, 30.23 in 2002 and 29.25% in 2012. Mixed persons moved from 11.16% in 1980 to 19.88 in 2012 and the number of Amerindians also doubled from 5.31% to 10.51% during the same period.”

In my view, Mr Bulkan is honest and pragmatic in recognizing that race will be, as in previous elections, a critical factor in the 2020 election.

Based on this recognition and from the population breakdown presented, one can deduce where APNU’s focus will be in 2020. As the election nears, it should not be surprising to see increased spending in the Amerindian communities. And, very likely, APNU’s prime ministerial candidate may be someone of Amerindian ancestry. The PPP/C blundered in 2015 in not selecting Ms Carolyn Rodrigues as their prime ministerial candidate.

It is inconceivable that the AFC leaders, very experienced and politically savvy, did not consider the downside in supporting President Granger on the Gecom chairman. However, having ‘tied bundle’ with APNU they have had no other choice. And, I agree with Freddie Kissoon’s assertion in the above mentioned article that “The AFC will cling to the APNU in 2020. It has no other option. It will hope that the Prime Minister comes from the AFC but even that is not guaranteed. Sadly, I think the AFC’s biology and physiology will die after 2020 and it will just be an appendage to the APNU.”

Yours faithfully, Harry Hergash