Dear Editor,
I wish to extend words of congratulations to Mr Ernest Elliot and Mr Mervin Williams on their election to the office of PNCR Regional Chairmen Region Four (4) and Three (3) respectively.
I am confident that your team of men and women elected to serve in your executive committee, like you, understand the challenges that immediately beset the party. I therefore wish to encourage them to see these challenges as hurdles to overcome. These challenges are merely presented to provide an opportunity for us to ensure that the party grows, ensuring that its image and stature become even more pronounced in our society. We must, however, be cognisant of the fact that over the fifty years of the party’s existence it has faced even more daunting and dangerous challenges but for the most part we, because of our intent, purpose and mission to promote a cohesive, equitable and just society, have been able to overcome most.
Our history will remind us of the many obstacles Burnham and his team faced from the many opposition forces. We must also not forget Hoyte’s challenges he faced both inside and outside of the party, but the reality is the party remained intact. So this is our time to ensure that we strive above all the present day odds, in the interest of pursuing a mission for the people. In times like these the only question must be , what I can do for my party, country and the people? The answer to this should motivate us to turn negatives into positives.
I therefore, ask that as we continue to engage in the process of re-organising we must be conscious of the plight of the ordinary Guyanese.
Therefore, our programs for the regions must, as of necessity, be designed in a manner that seeks ways of agitating for a change in the current state of affairs. Our discussions must focus on but not be limited to the issue of the government’s obvious attempt to weaken trade unions, the issue of teenaged criminals, an assessment of the government’s current education policy, with special reference on the Secondary School Reform Project (SSRP), the burdensome 16% VAT, violence against women, street families, crime, impropriety on the part of public officials, rule of law, and the problems of the judicial system. These and other pertinent issues we must confront boldly. The strength of the party lies amongst the people and the people dwell in the regions, so in the regions we can make a difference.
Yours faithfully,
Lurlene Nestor