A New and United Guyana (ANUG) has noted a statement publicized by the media indicating that Mr. Terrence Campbell has withdrawn from ANUG. An email on the morning of January 7 by Terrence indicated that he did not feel that he could add value to our efforts in the days ahead. His reason appeared to be the charged political situation arising from the no confidence motion passed by the National Assembly against the Government on December 21. As an aside he alleged that three members of the Steering Committee had dual citizenship.
The email to us was published in the Stabroek News online edition yesterday and the report appeared on other news outlets. It made no reference to “a knife” being stuck in his back by his “own people.” It is clear that Terrence has come under severe pressure because of his leading role in establishing ANUG. Some of us have also come under pressure from official sources very recently, as a consequence of association with ANUG, and in the past. We have endured and survived and expect to continue to do so in the future. We intend to build our movement to offer the Guyanese people an entirely different and creative political choice that will lead to a new and united Guyana.
There are only three others of us on the Steering Committee, namely, Henry Jeffrey, Timothy Jonas and Ralph Ramkarran. Terrence is therefore accusing all of us of being dual citizens. We will not dignify this worthless accusation, based on hearsay evidence, with a response. But we want to emphasize that being a dual citizen is not a crime. There are thousands of dual citizens living and working in Guyana and some of them are our supporters. We welcome them.
This issue of dual citizens as Members of the National Assembly came up for discussion at our meeting on Friday last, which was not attended by Terrence. We confirmed that the rule prohibiting dual citizens from membership of the National Assembly is an anachronism, is not enforced by our political parties and we would advocate its abolition. But we also acknowledged that in the meantime we will observe the law and will not include any dual citizens on our list of candidates, as the three political parties represented in the National Assembly have always done.
We wish Terrence well.
Dated January 8, 2019
A New and United Guyana
Your efforts to bring fairness to the Guyanese people, ANUG, will prove to be the means to an end that can only be beneficial to our nation.
The efforts about which I speak includes the real infusion of democratic principles that allow political parties to choose their leaders without the dictatorial meanderings of a single individual. This selfish action of one person only highlights the unfair and undemocratic way of thinking about others who might very well be, sincerely and genuinely, good for Guyana.
Keep up the fight. Do not be deterred, please! Our Nation needs you now, ANUG, more than ever before!