November 17 ,2021

Source

Amid his trials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge has picked up two nominations for the post of leader of the Peoples National Congress Reform.
Greenidge has been conspicuously absent from the affairs of the party following the March 2020 elections. Having served in the David Granger administration as a vice president with responsibility for foreign affairs, Greenidge appeared to have abandoned the party and took up the post of adviser on borders with the PPP/C government.
On Tuesday it was revealed that he is being sidelined and disrespected by the current Foreign Minister Hugh Todd and Minister of Governance Gail Teixeira. He made a plea to report directly to President Irfaan Ali or Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, but this was turned down.
Greenidge previously challenged for the leadership of the PNCR, but was defeated by David Granger, the incumbent leader. It is unclear whether Greendige will accept the nomination on the day of the Congress billed for December 11, 2021.

Granger not nominated for any position; Norton receives most nominations for leader

Posted by: Denis Chabrol in News, Politics Wednesday, 17 November 2021, 13:26 1 Comment -- Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 November 2021, 13:26 by Denis Chabrol -- Source -- https://demerarawaves.com/2021...inations-for-leader/

Incumbent Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform, David Granger has not been nominated by any party group for any position.

This is the first time in that party’s 60-odd year history that a sitting leader has not been nominated.

The PNCR’S Congress is scheduled to be held on December 11.

The PNCR did not release the number of nominations that each nominee has received, but well-placed Congress Place sources on Wednesday said that longtime patty member, Aubrey Norton has obtained an unassailable lead ahead of his main rival, Joseph Harmon.

One source described Mr Norton’s nominations as “runway” while another conceded that Mr. Harmon’s campaign “started late” but they are “returning to win back hearts.”

The PNCR said the seven persons who have been nominated for the position of leader are Basil Williams, Carl Greenidge, Richard Van-West Charles, Volda Lawrence; Aubrey Norton, Joseph Harmon; Sharma Solomon.

The 16 nominees for the position of Party Chairman: Volda Lawrence, Gary Best, Shurwayne Holder, Amanza Walton-Desir, Roysdale Ford, Annette Ferguson; Aubrey Norton, Sharma Solomon, Ronald Bulkan, Christopher Jones, Richard Van-West Charles, Simona Broomes, Geeta Chandan, Dawn Hastings, Joseph Harmon, and Mervyn Williams.

For the position of Party Chairman: Volda Lawrence, Gary Best, Shurwayne Holder, Amanza Walton-Desir, Roysdale Ford, Annette Ferguson; Aubrey Norton, Sharma Solomon, Ronald Bulkan, Christopher Jones, Richard Van-West Charles, Simona Broomes, Geeta Chandan, Dawn Hastings, Joseph Harmon, and Mervyn Williams

For the position of Party Vice-Chairman: Elizabeth Niles-Williams, Volda Lawrence, Dawn Hastings-Williams, Annette Ferguson, Vinceroy Jordan, Gregory Fraser, Aubrey Norton, Darren Wade, Gary Best, Christopher Jones, Richard Van-West Charles, Vinceroy Jordan, Shurwayne Holder, Roysdale Ford, Ubraj Narine, Sharma Solomon, Robert Corbin, Simona Broomes, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Kirk Fraser, Randolph Critchlow, Amanza Walton-Desir, Corretta McDonald, Ronald Cox, Ronald Bulkan, Mervyn Williams, Ganesh Mahipaul, Bernita Primo, Samuel Sandy, and Jevaughn Stephens.

For the position of Party Treasurer Ivelaw Henry, Clayton Newman, Elson Lowe, Vanessa Kissoon, Derrick Lawrence, Gary Best, Faaiz Mursaline, Ubraj Narine, Ronald Bulkan, Carol Smith-Joseph, Annette Ferguson, Amanza Walton-Desir, Roysdale Ford, Dr. Karen Cummings, Volda Lawrence, Ganesh Mahipaul, Daniel Seeram, and Deron John

The PNCR says that all nominees will be written to and requested to indicate by a given date their acceptance of the nominations.

“Failure to respond means that, should they otherwise qualify, their names would not automatically appear on the Ballot for the position/s for which they were nominated,” that Party said.

Basil Williams skirts questions on nomination for PNC leader

Former Attorney General Basil Williams

Former Attorney General Basil Williams SC., who was nominated for leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), would not confirm nor deny whether he will be running for the top position.

When contacted, Williams was asked whether he will be accepting the nomination.

While he did not answer the question, Williams did confirm that he was meeting with the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the party where the issue was being discussed.

“I’m in CEC meeting now. They’re actually talking about the issue. They have to write and notify that I’m a candidate,” Williams, who formerly served as chairman of the PNC/R, explained.

Volda Lawrence, the PNC/R Chairperson widely considered as a front-runner for the position of party leader, will be declining her nomination to contest as leader at the party’s Congress next month.

Other nominees include former Attorney General Basil Williams, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and former Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon. Incumbent Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon, Aubrey Norton and Dr. Richard Van West Charles were also nominated. The party’s 21st Biennial delegate congress is scheduled for December 11, 2021, over the course of one day.

In stage one of the Congress, elections will be held for the leader, Chairman, Vice Chairpersons and Treasurer. In the second stage, there will be an election for the members of the Central Executive Committee.

The PNCR – the leading party in the A Partnership for National Unity faction of the APNU/AFC coalition Opposition – has been embroiled in an internal divisive power struggle since the party’s loss at the 2020 General and Regional Elections. Hence, there was mounting pressure for congress to be held to elect new leadership.

Harmon’s candidacy is supported by several Members of Parliament and party members who attended his campaign launch that was streamed live on the PNCR Facebook page. These include: Coretta McDonald, Roysdale Forde, Ganesh Mahipaul and Annette Ferguson – all parliamentarians.

Meanwhile, Dr Van West-Charles has been endorsed by several PNCR members including prominent leaders in Linden, including Solomon and former PNC parliamentarian Vanessa Kissoon.

Greenidge, a long-standing member of the PNC/R who once served as Finance Minister under former President Forbes Burnham, served from 2015 to 2019 as Foreign Affairs Minister under government of David Granger- who he previously challenged for the leadership of the party. He is currently employed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an advisor on borders.

Volda Lawrence likely to decline nomination for PNC leader

Volda Lawrence

Volda Lawrence, the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) Chairperson widely considered as a front-runner for the position of party leader, will be declining her nomination to contest as leader at the party’s Congress next month.

Lawrence, a former Minister of Public Health, was one of seven candidates who were nominated for leader of the PNC/R last week. While efforts to contact Lawrence were futile, this publication was able to make contact with former PNC/R Parliamentarian James Bond, who made the confirmation.

According to Bond, Lawrence will not be accepting the nomination and will be sitting out the race. Bond emphasised, however, that she still has the party at heart and will continue to serve the party.

“She’s not contesting… Ms Lawrence has never been a person who made the leader of the party an ambition of hers. I think all she wanted to do was serve her party and she’s still serving her party in whatever capacity she can. Just that this time she decided to sit out the race. But she still has her party at heart and will continue to serve the party,” he explained.

Other nominees include former Attorney General Basil Williams, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and former Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon. Incumbent Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon, Aubrey Norton and Dr. Richard Van West Charles were also nominated. The party’s 21st Biennial delegate congress is scheduled for December 11, 2021, over the course of one day.

In stage one of the Congress, elections will be held for the leader, Chairman, Vice Chairpersons and Treasurer. In the second stage, there will be an election for the members of the Central Executive Committee.

The PNCR – the leading party in the A Partnership for National Unity faction of the APNU/AFC coalition Opposition – has been embroiled in an internal divisive power struggle since the party’s loss at the 2020 General and Regional Elections. Hence, there was mounting pressure for congress to be held to elect new leadership.

Harmon’s candidacy is supported by several Members of Parliament and party members who attended his campaign launch that was streamed live on the PNCR Facebook page. These include: Coretta McDonald, Roysdale Forde, Ganesh Mahipaul and Annette Ferguson – all parliamentarians.

Meanwhile, Dr Van West-Charles has been endorsed by several PNCR members including prominent leaders in Linden, including Solomon and former PNC parliamentarian Vanessa Kissoon.

Greenidge, a long-standing member of the PNC/R who once served as Finance Minister under former President Forbes Burnham, served from 2015 to 2019 as Foreign Affairs Minister under government of David Granger- who he previously challenged for the leadership of the party. He is currently employed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an advisor on borders.

Granger will not attend PNC Congress due to health matters

PNC Leader David Granger

See full statement from the Peoples National Congress Reform:

ABSENCE OF THE PNCR LEADER FROM THE PARTY’S 21st BIENNIAL DELEGATES CONGRESS AND HIS BEST WISHES FOR A SUCCESSFUL CONGRESS

Leader of the PNCR and former President, Brigadier (Rtd) David Arthur Granger, MSS, will not be with us at this historic Congress as he attends to matters of his health in the Republic of Cuba, commencing with his travel on Tuesday 14th December 2021. The Leader has expressed to us his best wishes for a successful Biennial Delegates’ Congress, a Happy Christmas, and a Prosperous New Year.

The members of the Central Executive Committee and of our great Party take this opportunity to wish the Cde Leader and his family best wishes for the Christmas Season, a Prosperous New Year, and the Blessings of God upon him and the health officials in the Republic of Cuba as they treat him. We shall all keep him in prayers.

Granger too old for the stress. Time for him to retire and leave the politics to the younger generation. Right now, he is like dead weight.

Same goes for Grenidge, dah banna is like a couple years older than DG, Grenidge is about 105.

@cain posted:

Same goes for Grenidge, dah banna is like a couple years older than DG, Grenidge is about 105.

Indeed, indeed, indeed Cain ...

Greenidge and I are much, much, younger than you.

Harrison Ford is only about 79      

DG was 79 about thirty years ago.

@cain posted:

DG was 79 about thirty years ago.

Who knows?  Maybe, maybe not.

Letter: Race for PNC leadership is like fighting to be captain after Titanic hit the iceberg

L-R: Joseph Harmon, Aubrey Norton, and Dr Richard Van West Charles

Dear Editor,

The PNC is in a bad place right now. Following its failed attempt to rig the 2020 elections in full view of a watching world, the two top candidates running for Party Leader were leaders of the extreme wing claiming dead people flew to Guyana and voted and sneaked back out, and they have immigration records to prove it.

They refer to the democratically elected PPP as an “installed Government”, so that makes them the “installed Opposition.” These leaders have put themselves in a self-imposed locked box which keeps them on the looney side. Political leaders would have zero credibility when they say such stupid stuff to their followers, thinking everybody would believe such nonsense.

What was worse was the West Berbice incitement of rioting, burning, looting, and pulling out people of Indian descent out of vehicles and brutalising them. And the PNC leaders did not condemn that, neither did the PPP Government make sure all the perpetrators were charged, although an abundance of video footage exists to identify the perpetrators.

How will the Government side explain that? You would not find anyone who is not a usual PNC supporter who would say the PNC has a chance of getting back in power. The PNC was a dictatorship for 28 years, lost elections to the PPP for 23 years, then got in with crossover votes in 2015, and proved once and for all that it never transformed itself or repudiated Burnhamism. It’s in its DNA to be crooked. It shattered the trust of those crossover voters, and it got booted by the PPP in 2020. After the harrowing, draining five months of the failed rigging, people say, “Never again, PNC!”

The rigging was the PNC’s iceberg, and its ship is sinking, so fighting to be the PNC Leader now is like fighting to see who would be the captain of the Titanic after it hit the iceberg. It does not matter, the ship is going down, the PNC has no redeeming value; the only thing the PNC has going for it is its “nuisance” value. It is still able to bring out miscreants to do street action; is prone to encourage and condone violence; and its New York agitators encourage from afar to “burn the place down.” (That should win more crossover votes!).

Dr Tara Singh has asked an excellent question in a letter, “Would the New PNCR Leader bring his party closer to State power?” As it is, the answer is no. We want the PNC to be a responsible respected Opposition, with honesty, integrity and decency. Respect the Government. Act with decorum as if you are role models. (Minister Ramson was right!).

Dispense with the bully behaviours, and hold the PPP accountable. That’s why you won 31 seats, and we expect you to do your job in Parliament. Ask many questions about where is the PPP’s 5-10-year Development Plan. Ask many questions about oil and gas, and all those big projects. That’s where corruption happens. Sponsor a bill asking Government to renegotiate the oil and other natural resource contracts that give away our wealth to foreigners. Critique their policies and offer alternative policies. Don’t be quick to jump on the race bandwagon when the issue does not have a race demon in it.

Do you think that stirring up racial agitation wins support from any potential crossover voters? My answer to Dr. Tara is the PNC Leader can bring his party closer to State Power if he apologises to the nation for his party giving away the poor people’s oil resources, and joins the bandwagon for renegotiation of the oil and all natural resources’ contracts. This single action is the highest priority for all Guyana if we want to get more income to drag us out of our persistent poverty.

I believe Mr. Norton is smart enough to understand that renegotiation of the oil and natural resources’ contracts is the only salvation for Guyana, especially the working class, and its own supporters.

Until the PNC side catches some sense, and until they find new, decent, credible leaders, let’s enjoy the circus!

Sincerely,
Dr Jerry Jailall

A Letter to the Peoples National Congress.

PIVOT-A NEW BALANCE

"The sons of Adam are limbs of each other having been created of one essence.

When the calamity of time affects one limb the other limbs cannot remain at rest.

If thou hast no sympathy for the troubles of others thou are unworthy to be called by the name of a human."

Written some eight centuries ago by the Persian poet Sa'adi, now adorns the entrance of the United Nations Building in New York.

World leaders passes by those words as they confer on world matters, mainly the human rights of the peoples of the planet.

My country, Guyana is not unknown for its breaches of human values, its calamity of time is about sixty five years. Almost seven decades. Certainly, enough time to awake towards progress and prosperity.

The upcoming Congress of the Peoples National Congress is a moment in time for a new direction for Guyana.

A Paradigm Shift- An advancement in knowledge that has large scale impact.

In my country, life is not easy. Foreigners willing to usher peaceful co-existence find themselves departing with,  "Guyana is not for the faint of heart." It is a Prison House of Nations and Nationalities, because that's what we are. Freedom is not given to all citizens universally, each Nation and Nationality feels freedom must be taken. There has been fifty six years of attempts at it.

Respect and tolerance is non existent in our political systems, one is an alien to the other. 

A Change Must Come.

There must be an attempt to align the People National Congress on a trajectory of economic governance.

Whatever is taking place today will be questioned in the future by the children of today, that are now witnesses, right across the country. Much is being said on social media also are the political commentators. 

It is like a norm among generations and ethnicities, PNC is Afro-Guyanese. Likewise the PPP is Indo-Guyanese. For those ethnics who find themselves in these organizations are considered Tokenism.

There must be integral participation, those ethnicities must be listened to.

In the creation of the Peoples National Congress, both Afroes and Indoes were involved. It was separation of  moderates of the nineteen fifty three confrontational political system. In the entire history of the PNC, Indians were members of the party. Over the years, they became only faces with no voices.

That must change.

Many have tried to be The Third Force or The Alternative, citizens have preferred to maintain the PNC and the PPP.  As a citizen, it is expected to having a worthy and worthwhile alternative. The PPP will never bring in a government that is respectful of the Opposition.

They need to be shown the way. Their rise to power makes them unreasonable.

As it stands, the current PNC allows the government a free hand without any attempts of being the respectful Opposition, one that is capable of speaking to the citizens. There is enough swing votes to add to  the PNC secured seats. The 2015 elections has proven that. Those voters were betrayed by the visionless leadership in the People's National Congress.

The PNC needs to be the political organization that recognizes the path to governance lies with the voters. It is a competition for the citizen's basic and only right, their single vote in the hope that their inheritance will be well managed.

I cannot see how the PNC can increase their seats in parliament to the majority unless they give some serious attention to the Indian voters.

This must be a serious consideration for the new leader. A plan must be designed as guarantees to the Indian votes.

If norm is adhered to, possibly a PNC victory may have an Indo Prime Minister. Hopefully, not one as the PNC dictated to Moses Nagamoottoo. Instead, a Prime Minister with enough responsibilities to be regarded with great respect.

The task ahead is to shed the image of the PNC years as the government-those years were terrible for the nation. Unless the PNC remakes itself as viable option, then we will inherit the PPP years, when analyzed will be terrible years as well for the lack of a credible alternative.

I wish to make the case for the possibilty of the Indian vote.

Both main ethnic groups do not care to know much of each other. Very few would know of Guyanese history which encompasses all nations and nationalities. I suspect, the main groups prefers their own separate accounts. For Afro-Guyanese, no nation can experience their pains during slavery and as such, no one, other than an Afro-Guyanese has the authority to speak of it. For the Indo-Guyanese, they wish to tell of their sufferings as if sufferings has different levels. There has been this competition for punishment.

Side tracked by distrust and division, both of these groups loose out on prosperity. Their actions dominates the lives of Amerindians and the other three nations of people that came to British Guiana.

The Emancipated African of the British Colony was involved in all aspects of the colony. They were teachers, midwives, stevedores, shopperkeepers, tradesmen, farmers and much more-they were everything to the colony. They alone sustained a country.

As the Indentureds left the Sugar Plantations, the African found himself in competition. When competition becomes noticeable, it breathes contempt. It began with the Portuguese, they took over the stalls at Stabroek Market, then the Indians took over from them. As the economy grew, indentureds rose up the ladder and every thing became very competitive.

For the decades that followed, contempt was in the land. It was fertile for men with destructive points of view.

Fortunately, today, we have wealth. Enough to grow our economy for a better life with more than enough jobs. Unless, the PNC of ths moment sustains this country we would have surrendered the dreams and aspirations of an entire nation to poverty. When men makes dicisions with no contemplations. Corruption prevails, similar to nations with wealth as ours.   

An incident took place sometime around the latter part of 1838. I have always considered it to be very significant for Guyana as a  young developing country.

As the poet wrote, " When the calamity of time affects one limb the other limbs cannot remain at rest." Emancipated Afrcans in their testmonies spoke of the sufferings of the 1838 group of Indians. The poor diet, hours work, unhealthy living conditions, leg irons for escaping and the whip. It was the Emancipated African nurses that tended to wounds of the whip lash. An African Headmaster who documented the harsh treatment to the Anti-Slavery Society. It was the actions of the Emancipated Africans who made a difference in our eastablishment in Guyana-they were responsilbe for the humane system we were indentured to. One they never had for centuries for themmselves.

Did the Emancipated African saw Indians?  I doubt it. He saw a fellow impoverished human, being treated horribly-a treatment that was repeated in their ordeals. Some six centures after the poet's words, the Emancipated African, just freed from Slavery would express his humanity as written by Sa'adi,  "When the calamity of time affects one limb the other limbs cannot remain at rest."

They did not remain at rest.

The heart is capable of much compassion and hate. My appeal to the People's National Congress, allow compassion to prevail and choose a system that pacifies the extremists among you. May the moderate voices be thunderous.

The salvation of this human world lies nowhere else than in the human heart, in the human power to reflect, in the human meekness and human responsibility. The Persian Poet expressed these sentiments in the thirteenth century. But, it was The Christ who would record for humanity the realationship of brothers as rightly stated by the poet-the sons of Adam.  The Scriptures tells us, "And just as you desire people to do for you, do also for them."

We must discover and claim the God-given worth as people who have great potential for good.

Among the many quotes of Vaclav Havel there is, "We must live in truth."

History records truth, it has already happened, it is the past. The future is ours to design in reflection of our past. Our past is rich in diversity and our land is abundant. We must find the tolerance not quick to judge one another in malice. 

Indentureship, gave Guyana its uniqueness among the nations of the modern world. The Free African from America, Africa and Caribbean Islands, the Portuguese, the Chinese, the East Indians of 1838 are all part of the Guyanese landscape. During indentureship these people of humble nature departed from their shores in search of a better life.

From all those races of people, along with the Natives who were here way before, the gift of life made the Mixed Races. A country of Six Peoples we are proud to proclaim. 

The system of Indentureship is an old one among the European nations. John Gladstone would draw  from the system where Englishmen, Scotsmen, Irishmen and Welshmen provided the labor for the lands in the New World of the British West Indies. In exchange for the right to live in economic freedom.

Soon, the landless of the British Isles became landowners in the New World. Cultivation needed a labor force, not enough indentures from the home land, enslavement assured a labor force. The West African Coast was not unfamiliar to the Spaniards, Portuguese and the Dutch. Trading of commodities quickly switched to human cargo.   

For the 1838 group of East Indians to British Guiana, they would open up the colony to a stream of East Indian indenturers until 1917. People of humble nature departed from the shores of Calcutta. Broken physically, yet urged forward for the sake of survival. Tenacity of their spirit would place their foot prints in 1838 upon the fertile lands of British Guiana, its counties of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice.

Forbidden in beliefs of their ancient religion to venture beyond the scared rivers of the Brahmaputra, Indus and Ganges. A civilization that marvelled Alexander the Great, one that has no slaves. A system that catogarizes people in castes, lived and died for generations past, and all the future generations yet to be born.

They would surrender old customs and traditions. Indo-Guyanese historians have concluded, many indentureds were from the lower Castes including the Untouchables. 

In the freedom of British Guiana, they developed, owned land, property and had their children educated. In India, never the possibility of such freedoms. In British Guiana, their children educated by African teachers. On the Plantations, the oppresive ways of the planters were slightly modified due to the testimony of the Emancipated African on the 1838 immigrants. When the time came to move off the plantations, the Indians would live among the established towns and villages of the Africans.

Quamina, his son Jack, Plantation Success, Plantation Le Ressouvenir, Rev. John Smith and John Gladstone. The names and places associated with a significant change in British Guiana-the journey towards the end of slavery in the British Empire. In 1807, Wilberforce was only able to get the British House of Commons to stop African Slavery by Britain. The struggles were to continue in the British Parliament. The campaign for better working conditions and education for slaves still on the Plantations of the British Empire.

Rev. John Smith familiar with enacted laws pertaining to slaves on Planations arrived at Plantation Ressouvernir and began his work at the Chapel. No sooner, consultations with the Governor revealed Rev. Smith's familiarity of the few rights permitted to slaves on the planations.

And he began. Each attempt at education was curtailed with complaints to the Governor. Eventually, teaching and reading was restricted to Biblical contents. His congregation grew beyond Plantation Le Ressoouvernir with worship services attended by slaves of every plantation on the East Coast of Demerara.

Among the worshippers was Quamina, a slave of Plantation Success owned by John Cladstone. Some men have natural understanding of the scriptures. Quamina was such a person and he became a deacon in the church.

On every plantation on the East Coast of Demerara, there was talk of Emancipation. There was excitemant back in 1807, but emancipation never came. In 1823, there was excitement again, now delivered by Jack, son of Quamina. Favored on Plantation Success for his trade of making barrels, he was free to move around the planations plying the trade.

From Jack, the word would travel from House Slaves to Field Slaves on the plantations. Knowledgeable in words and sentences, house slaves read the correspondences from Britain. The raging debates in the House of Commons.

Impatient, the slave insurrection took place. The punishment was horendous. The British public appalled at the barabrism of it all mounted an assisted campaign by the anti-slavery society of a boycott of West Indian sugar and commodities.

The British Parliament was demanded to end Slavery in the British Empire.

The great debate of property came into question, investments, sugar and the existence of the colony of British Guiana after slavery.

John Gladstone for his business survival and the survival of other Planters would follow the path of Indentureds from the Azores, Maderia, Africa, America, Caribbean, China and India.

The commodities market took away the guarantees from Britain to its Plantation Owners in the British Empire. Competition meant cheaper labor costs, the only negotiable variable in any production.

Overwhelming circumstances in India of  devious higher castes, zamindars, British Raj, pursuit of Recruiters and famine would make available a few hundred thousand East Indians to the Plantations in the British West Indies. The masses would come to Demerara , directed by "DEMERARA" a sign on the loading dock at the Port of Calcutta, Garden Reach.

Months of sailing upon the waters of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, around the Horn of Africa and its turbulence as the two great seas merges. And, there upon the Atlantic Ocean, laden ships of human cargo ferry in haste to the Middle Passage for winds to the West Indies.  

Upon entering the mouth of the muddy Demerara River, they would be documented by numbers on tin plates or simply a number, depending on the recruiter. As a number, this Human Cargo will build his life in British Guiana.

All citizens, home and abroad has found ourselves to be Guyanese.

There must be meaning in our minds.

We must do better, we have to do better for the future.

Converging on Congress Place in masses is necessary, for those who choose to speak for Guyanese must know the meaning of our minds.

In the words of MLK ,"if you can't fly, run, if you can’t run, walk, if you can’t walk, crawl but by all means keep moving.

I add, to an assembly at Congress Place.

Stay Safe.

Velutha Kuttapen

timehri@golden.net

—3000 delegates to vote for over 100 posts

Dec 17, 2021 News -- Source - Kaieteur News Online -- https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...announced-by-sunday/

Kaieteur News – With the election process slated to take place on Saturday, a new leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is likely to be announced by Sunday, according to Vincent Alexander, who will be presiding over the process as the Chief Elections Officer (CEO).

(from right) Chief Elections Officer, Vincent Alexander and Candidates for the PNCR leader; Joseph Harmon, Aubrey Norton and Dr. Richard Van West Charles

Alexander, who also represents the Opposition at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), as a Commissioner, yesterday held a news conference where it was announced that the stage has been set for the election to take place on Saturday.

The Party’s 21st Biennial Delegates Congress should have been convened in April of this year; however, the COVID-19 pandemic had posed challenges. Now that the event is finally ready to take place, the three nominees vying for the post of ‘Leadership’, Joseph Harmon, Aubrey Norton and Dr. Richard Van West Charles said they are all confident that the process will be free and fair, with the guidance of Mr. Alexander.

There are some 13 polling stations across Guyana that have been set up, in addition to the virtual station in North America. Over 100 officials will be manning those stations, including agents of the contestants. Five persons will be vying for the post of the Party Chair and 12 for Vice Chair. Another five contestants have been nominated to serve as treasurer, while 123 candidates seeking to be Central Executive Members.

According to Alexander, the Congress will be held in two parts; the business session from 09:00 hours, which will allow for addressing reports and discussions, followed by the elections process at 11:00 hours. Polls will be closed at 19:00 hours (7pm) on Saturday. He assured that normal elections best practices, such as a verified voters list have been prepared. This will allow the approximate voting population of about 3000 to present themselves with a form of identification, as they exercise their franchise.

When asked about the transparency of the process, Harmon who is seeking leadership said he is confident that the process will be free and fair, with the guidance of Mr. Alexander. He added that whoever comes out as leader, he would be prepared to work with them, to ensure the strength of the party.

Norton also said he is confident in the elections process and does not think there will be problems to affect the integrity. Dr. Van West Charles also said he is confident that with the oversight from Alexander will contribute to transparency and accountability. The Party’s 21st Biennial Delegates Congress was set for 11th of December but was postponed to December 18, 2021. Alexander said it was administrative issues, which caused the delay and preparedness of documents and venues among others.

PNC Congress: Greenidge declines nomination for leader; expresses concerns over process

Carl Greenidge

SEE BELOW FOR STATEMENT BY CARL B. GREENIDGE REGARDING THE IMPENDING PNCR CONGRESS BEING HELD TODAY:

Last September 2020 I voiced concerns about the path on which the Party seemed embarked and its obvious crisis of leadership. In spite of or perhaps because of the caustic response of the Party ‘leadership’, many Party members and members of the public, in particular, have subsequently sought my agreement to be nominated for the leadership of the PNCR. In one case, I promised to re-consider my initial refusal but I clearly indicated that I thought that the Party’s first priority should have been to deal with the innumerable concerns which I mentioned in that interview, concerns which were similar to those former leaders of the Party recently shared with the PNCR’s current Central Executive Committee (CEC). They relate to the manner in which the Party has been led, has been functioning and the consequences.

Tomorrow, December 18^th, 2021, the Party is scheduled to hold a Congress, the Party’s highest decision-making forum and the most important event in the shaping of a political Party. It would normally involve an exhaustive examination of relevant issues affecting the membership and the country, ranging from challenges cultural to the current political situation, preparation for or analysis of national election results, economic policies et al. On this occasion, however, after much angst, the CEC managed to organise a Congress intended only to change the leadership. There is to be no analysis, no debates about the political situation and no report on the 2020 national elections, its outcome and no  policy pronouncements. It is only about the changing of the guard. Ironically, such a Congress should be quite consistent with the approach of the leadership of Mr Granger – no Party reforms, no resolutions , no or minimal debates etc. Yet there is from the current leadership much push-back against the Congress, or more accurately, against the changing of the leadership.

I had pointed out during the course of the above-mentioned KN interview in 2020 that invoking the mechanisms and processes available to the Party could have placed it in a strong position relative to all other political Parties in Guyana, as regards best practise. What is more, the PNCR as a Party has paid the price for failure to insist on the conduct of transparent  and careful review of its performance in general and national elections.

Today, on the eve of the Congress, even taking account of the decision of the CEC to postpone the elections to 18^th December in order to address some obvious weaknesses, too many questions still remain unaddressed. Those areas are of concern to me because I have had first hand experience of the abuse of the Party’s election process. Many elements which generated concerns in 2011 and subsequently, are still in place.

In recent times beginning with contest for the PNCR Presidential Candidate in 2011, internal Party elections have been hijacked by the Party apparatus on behalf of the Party Leader. I need only mention a recount of ballots when there had been no declaration in the first place. In any case the counting was such that the margin of error between the votes counted before the cameras and that which followed a break (to conduct ‘a raffle’, which left ballots unprotected), was statistically improbable.

In keeping with these departures from the rules there has been no election to identify a Presidential Candidate for the Feb 2020 National and General Elections. A similar story applies to the selection of the Leader of the List.

Critical national representation such as the selection of the Party’s entire Parliamentary membership has been treated as being in the gift of the Leader of the Party. The rules endow him with such powers and the Party cannot be convincingly led by a person who believes that he is too greatly loved or too proud to face an election. The function of a leader is not to behave as though it is seditious for another Party member to run for positions for which the Party Constitution deems that members are to be elected.

It is no surprise therefore that there has been widespread dissatisfaction over the quality of representation of the constituency and the absence of a clear and authoritative PNCR voice at  times when leadership and principled stands were needed to confront grievous  political policies and serious challenges on the electoral front. No viable and persuasive political Party can hold on to its constituency if its leadership is too timid to speak out against wrongs or to stand up for and hold positions which though morally correct are unpopular.

I understand that the Leader notified the Chairman of the Party less than a week ago of his impending departure from the country. This is not the first party leader to have been ill whilst in office and he will not be the last. There should always be allowance for such a possibility but it is difficult to find another example of situation involving no transparent arrangements for handover of instruments and finances or of succession. The CEC which has been critical of the Leader and called for the Congress. For its impertinence, it seems to have been treated with utter contempt.

Given these circumstances and whatever the outcome of tomorrow’s event, I urge that the CEC make arrangements to afford the general membership of the Party the opportunity to consider and help fashion the Party’s path ahead and to permit leaders and potential leaders to also contribute to those deliberations. Such an approach is imperative, if the PNCR is to overcome the chains, real and imagined, by which it is currently shackled.

For the same reasons I am satisfied that it would be inappropriate to accept the nominations for the position of Leader of the Party and membership of the CEC and I indicated this position to Mr. Winston G. Felix, DSM, Chair, Electoral Committee, two or three days after I received formal notification of my nomination.

I will however continue to engage with members as appropriate.

In closing, I should like to thank sincerely the various groups and individuals, who in this climate of uncertainty and turmoil, have shown confidence in my work, such faith in my ability and continue to appreciate my contribution to advancing the condition of our constituency. I would like to assure these members that I will continue to be available to encourage and support them in order to enhance their capacities and their groups’ development.

@cain posted:

DG was 79 about thirty years ago.

@Totaram posted:

Who knows?  Maybe, maybe not.

Perhaps he has the results already.

@Mitwah posted:

Perhaps he has the results already.

Perhaps, perhaps not.

I see we boy Kuttapen pen a long post, as long as Greenidge's.

Young blood with intelligence is needed to lead the party, too many skeletons in the old goats closets. Leave whatever happened in the past..in the past, focus on leading with tomorrow in mind.