The night belonged to Dr. Richard Van West Charles.

There he stood boldly, without the kind of baggage that includes skeletons.  But quite aware of how his past collides with the present.  So he put his cards on the table.  Valiantly.  Unabashedly.  And spoke enduringly about the need for "inter-ethnic equity as values, the end of ethnic marginalization with the end result of being truly Guyanese." 

He explained that his shift from the PNC to the AFC is that he realized that the "AFC did not put race as center of what they do." 

A one time sturdy adherent of the PNC and his linkage to Forbes Burnham, Dr. Charles delivered one of the best approaches to what he called " matured response" and the "reshaping of democracy" to the demands of the times in Guyana. 

No apologies.  No excuses.  Just hands-down sincerity based on the principle of coming clean on how he was no longer relevant to the PNC.  Or how the PNC was no longer relevant to him.

An integrated audience, comprising of a healthy racial mix of Indo and Afro Guyanese, tucked together in a packed banquet hall responded with enthusiastic ovation. 

It is widely established that Richmond Hill, New York, is not the kind of town that is receptive to the ideas that provoke the sort of inclusiveness and the kind of embrace that a person like Dr. Charles is willing to extend.  Or propound.  

But there are signs that things have been changing since this East Indian stronghold of the PPP has had it with the Jagdeo cabal.  Once the stumping ground of the PPP and the politics of ethnocentric proclivities, the tenor in this town is amalgamating to a different drum beat.  And Dr. Charles was the pied piper who seemed so appropriate to this new tune.  He was making a good connection. 

The old timers are now more open to this new sound.  Slowly. 

The Alliance for Change made their leg of the North American tour bringing a frighteningly new promise.  That is the inauguration and enforcement of anti corruption laws as soon as they get into power.  Which will pose two bigger problems. 

One is that many filthy, rich people may have to explain how they acquired so much wealth - with or without the filth.  The other problem is that, given the magnitude of the corruption they claim they will have to clean, it may very well be a situation of out-sourcing the justice.  Because, under the PPP, they say, corruption is now the new normal. 

Presidential candidate Khemraj Ramjattan that explained the "fear factor" in Guyana's elections politics is real but at a certain level many folks are willing to assert themselves, albeit, opening themselves to the onslaught of the powerful machinery that is available to the incumbent PPP.  He also explained that this new shift represents some opportunistic adventurers, as seen lately with those who are jumping ship to the PPP. 

He boasted that the crowds gathered at their meetings are real and much more authentic than the manufactured audience that the ruling PPP has to chauffeured around to make themselves look good.  Ramjattan gave the examples of his audience in such places as Whim, Berbice, which drew bigger draw than the PPP. 

Prime Minister candidate, Raphael Trotman went on the assault by speaking about the level of distrust many folks have about the PPP and his interpretation of how they are "rejecting the message" of the PPP.  he also insisted that the AFC is attracting larger, more attentive crowds than their meetings. 

A full frontal attack, the Alliance for Change spent the evening punching away at the farce and empty promises of the PPP.  Speaker after speaker, at the sustained excitement of the audience, ripped and lacerated the hypocrisy of the PPP.