The PNCR has levelled 11 charges against former Central Executive Committee (CEC) member James McAllister for alleged misconduct committed before, during and after the party’s Congress this year.
Among the charges are failure to support an agreed party position on the recall legislation in Parliament in August and talking to the media “in direct contravention of guidance given by both the party leader and party chairman.”
McAllister, who is overseas at present, had been requested to respond to the charges in writing by September 26, and/or attend a sitting of the disciplinary committee on September 28 at Congress Place. Stabroek News understands that he has informed the committee that he is out of the country.
Meanwhile, former Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) GYSM chairman, Randy Nurse, who was also requested to reply in writing or meet the committee on the same dates as McAllister, submitted a response on the date of the sitting of the disciplinary committee. Stabroek News learnt that Nurse’s hearing has been postponed to give the committee a chance to study his response.
According to the first charge against McAllister, on April 27, he and others issued a press statement in direct contravention of guidance given by PNCR Leader Robert Corbin and Chairman Winston Murray “that [the statement] would not have been in the best interest of the party since it was likely to give the impression of an intention to proceed on a public campaign to challenge the leader at the party’s 15th Biennial Congress.”
The second charge was that on July 6 and 7, and other occasions he and others engaged in press conferences with others at the Hotel Tower, and elsewhere, without the knowledge of the party, the content of which gave the impression that the PNCR was a divided party with no internal democracy.
The third charge contended that he appeared on and engaged in political television campaign advertisements, broadcast on VCT Channel 28 and a television station in Bartica, which “distorted the party’s position on important issues, and impugned the integrity of the leader.”
The fourth charge said McAllister and others deliberately disrupted the opening session of congress “causing an unpleasant reaction from delegates, observers and special invitees including members of the diplomatic corps”.
According to the fifth charge, he withdrew and did not take part in the business of congress, “after that congress rejected an appeal by you, and others to postpone elections.”
The sixth charge said he hosted and took part in a press conference after the congress, giving the impression that he and others had not abandoned their pre-congress agenda promising to continue their pursuit.
This, the charge said, conveyed “the impression that you had an agenda which would be different from any adopted by the congress/and or proposed by the newly (-elected) executive committee.
The seventh charge alleges that he “engaged in the propagation of a vulgar and slanderous campaign intended to damage the character and integrity of the Leader of the PNCR.”
The eighth charge said McAllister published letters in the media before, and after the party’s congress, which revealed confidential matters of the party, misrepresented the PNCR’s position on issues, and distorted the facts “creating doubts about the sincerity of the PNCR and its leadership to fulfil its objectives”.
The party’s ninth charge against McAllister was that “as a PNCR(-1G) Member of Parliament you failed to support an agreed party position on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill No. 17 of 2007, of which you were fully aware, by refusing to vote in favour of that Bill.”
The tenth charge was that as a “PNCR(-1G) Member of Parliament you hosted a press interview on August 9, at the Parliament Buildings immediately after refusing to support the party’s position, and at which you deliberately distorted the party’s position on that particular issue.”
The final charge was that at a meeting held at the party’s regional office in Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) on August 14 where Corbin along with “Officers of that Region” and party functionaries met to discuss the proposed house-to-house registration, McAllister “refused to stand for the recital of the party’s prayer and the National Pledge; remaining seated while others stood; thus displaying disrespect” for the prayer, pledge, and Corbin.
This behaviour, the party said was unbecoming of a party member, “moreso a Member of Parliament and a Party Regional Chairman.”
The letter, dated September 3, informed McAllister that to answer the allegations and defend himself, he could call witnesses and produce documents in his defence and in keeping with the provisions of the party’s constitution, he had the right to be assisted at the inquiry by a party member of his choice.
The letter also informed him that it was because of a motion passed by the congress impugning him for misconduct and a lack of confidence in him for actions incompatible with party membership that he was being held accountable.
Meanwhile, Nurse had been summoned before the committee for allegedly stealing the party’s mattresses, racial slurs and misleading the young membership of the party in Region Ten by urging them to support Vincent Alexander for the leadership of the party against Robert Corbin.
Nurse, who is teaching at Kwakwani, did not attend the meeting of the PNCR’s disciplinary committee and was represented by someone.
McAllister and Nurse are among 12 others from Team Alexander – seven former CEC members of the party and five from the GYSM – who are to be summoned for conduct unbecoming of party members. A decision was taken to summon them in pairs. The other former CEC members still to be summoned are Vincent Alexander, Deborah Backer, Dr Dalgleish Joseph, Ivor Alleyne, Joseph Hamilton and Hamley Case. The others are former GYSM national chairman Chiyedza James; former GYSM senior vice chairman, Peter Livingstone; former GYSM CEC member Julianna Gaul, and former GYSM chairman Andrew Hicks.
The motion that was passed at the congress said that the 12 party members embarrassed and humiliated the party membership in the run up to the congress; and made statements amounting to criticisms of the party and its leader with damaging effects on them and caused the party to be brought into disrepute.
