PNCR MP Mervyn Williams has resigned as chairman of the party’s Region Three Regional Committee, citing “discriminatory” and “offensive” comments made at a party meeting suggesting a disconnect between him and members because he is not Afro-Guyanese.
In a letter to PNCR General Secretary Oscar Clarke, dated July 7, 2009, Williams offered his resignation with immediate effect, saying it was a regretted but carefully considered decision that he believed to be in the best interest of the party that he loved. In the letter, seen by Stabroek News, he explained that he had the first inclination to resign when a representative to the Central Executive Committee (CEC) told a meeting that “the PNCR is essentially an African Guyanese party voted for at elections by the African Guyanese population.”
According to Williams, the representative also argued that there was “a disconnect” between him, as Chairman of the Region and Party comrades, rather than a disconnect between the latter and the PNCR. “He opined that being a non-African Guyanese, one could not relate to African Guyanese issues, and went on to recommend [an] early Regional Conference to elect a new Regional Executive to solve the problem of the Region,” he wrote, adding, the views were endorsed by a Regional Councillor. At the time, he noted, he was the only person in the room who was not of African Guyanese ancestry.
The meeting with Region Three party groups was called by Clarke to discuss the upcoming PNCR’s 16th Biennial Congress. When contacted by Stabroek News yesterday, Clarke confirmed that he had seen a letter but would not comment on its contents. He also noted that he was not in a habit of discussing party business in the public.
Williams said he was disappointed by the “discriminatory, highly offensive remarks” which he said go against the letter and spirit of the provisions of the party’s constitution. “What, however, both shocked and surprised me is that the Leader [Robert Corbin] who was present during the two presentations and addressed the meeting subsequent to both presentations did not take the time to correct the situation,” he added, “The Leader proceeded instead to agree with some other points raised by comrades who spoke while remaining silent on this grave matter leaving some comrades to assume that such offensive statements were appropriate, and that such a forum was the appropriate one at which such offensive remarks could be made and considered to be in order.”
The situation resulted in a series of developments within the Region, he said, which reinforced his decision to resign. Further, he opined that his resignation was “necessary” to allow for the identification of a “suitable comrade of African Guyanese ancestry” to assume the Chairmanship and provide the kind of leadership needed to make the majority of the support base comfortable. Williams added that his exit would allow for “the current aggressive internal campaign” to come an end, allowing for a refocus of the same energies to present “a real united challenge” to the governing party-the PPP/C – which he described as the Nation’s number one enemy. He said too that his exit would allow for maximising of efforts to ensure a successful Biennial Congress and a sound local government campaign at which the party would be successful.
Saying he remained available to the Regional Committee as the PNCR’s regional parliamentary representative, Williams also unreservedly offered his full support to whoever is identified as a replacement. He also looked forward to the Regional Conference being held in November this year, in accordance with the schedule set by the CEC.
Williams, a former Region # 3 Councillor, was one of the young members selected to represent the party in the National Assembly, where he is a Regional MP. He was the party’s representative on the Regional Housing Committee and the Regional Works Committee. He is also a former Chairman of the PNCR’s Vergenoegen Group and a founding member of the Spirit of Guyana Movement.