Dear Editor,
It makes for quite interesting politics when men who for decades were alien to local politics decide that it is time they wave their magic wand and become leader of the PNCR.
What is disgraceful at this moment is that the contenders appear to be making their various public advances at a time when the incumbent, Robert Corbin, is recuperating from recent illness. None took time in their many interviews and statements to even wish the incumbent a quick recovery. In sports they would refer to this behaviour as unsportsmanlike; in politics they might call it political insensitivity. Party members, the people who will vote to elect their leader, are likely to retaliate through the ballot. Mr Van West Charles, in particular, must take note.
I heard about Mr Van West Charles’s interest in becoming leader of PNCR but never in my wildest dream, did I think it true, until I began to read his various statements in the local print media. I believe strongly in democracy and agree that anyone should be able to contest for leadership of the PNCR, but what I reject is an attempt to recycle political misfits.
Mr Richard Van West Charles served in the Burnham administration as Minister of Health, and his track record in that office remains a mystery.
It is out of sync with commonsense and progress that the membership of the party would elect him to lead them. Can Mr Van West Charles identify a single national project or health policy he initiated and which positively impacted the lives of citizens?
Furthermore, what has he done to improve the lot of PNC after that party lost elections in 1992? It is unacceptable for these men to decide that they can promote themselves for leadership without accounting for their past stewardship. It is the same kind of accountability that he, Van West Charles, is now calling for.
This PNC former Minister of Health seems to have a lot of ideas about what can be done to improve the PNCR and make the party more effective; I wonder how many of these ideas he shared with the current leadership? I have noted that Mr Van West Charles in many of his public utterances stated that the party electoral process needs to be overhauled. I suspect this will be the line used to cry ‘foul’ when the incumbent defeats him.
It is a pity Mr Van West Charles believes that he cannot contribute to the development of the PNCR as a member, only as the leader, I wish him well, and as he said, the will of the people must prevail at the congress. I can assure him it will.
Yours faithfully,
Alden Seargeant
