The main opposition PNCR yesterday denied allegations of irregularities during elections at its just-concluded Region 4 Regional Conference, saying the process followed constitutional guidelines and was open to scrutiny by all participants.

In a strongly-worded statement, the party ‘rejected’ the Stabroek News report in Monday’s edition on the conference and dubbed it “very inaccurate, mischievous and totally unprofessional.” The physical assault of an elderly woman by a member of the party’s youth arm, the PNCR said, was the only “unsavoury” occurrence at the conference.

Attorney and trade unionist Randolph Kirton, who was the Returning Officer for the elections, told Stabroek News yesterday that he verified the results after the ballots were counted. “Nothing, in my view, infringed any of the rules of the organisation or any of the rules of elections at a meeting,” he said, commenting on the election. He explained that he got the impression that any points of objections raised had been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of all parties prior to the casting of ballots.

Clement Corlette, also Chairman of the Region Four Regional Democratic Council, defeated incumbent Ernest Elliot to win chairmanship of the party’s Region Four Committee at the conference on Sunday. However, sources say the integrity of the process was challenged and concerns were raised in particular about deficiencies in the registration of delegates and voting. The party said yesterday, “One expects that a newspaper that is expected to provide balanced reports would have sought to obtain a response from the officials of either region four or the party headquarters before writing a report based on dubious and unknown sources which apparently have a special political agenda to discredit the PNCR.” It explained that the conference was organised by the regional committee and monitored by the PNCR Central Executive Committee. “All relevant procedures with respect to the party constitution were followed and the elections conducted by an independent returning officer and scrutinised by all participants, including the candidates who contested the various offices,” the party noted. “At no time during the conference was any objections made about the procedures adopted and there were no objections made at the conference about the outcome of the elections. It is therefore quite surprising that Stabroek News would produce such an inaccurate report, which is so far from the truth.” The party accused the newspaper of harbouring an agenda, saying that it was evident from several such reports in the past. It urged the newspaper to observe the standards of professional journalism rather seeking to use every opportunity to discredit the PNCR.

Stabroek News Editor-in-Chief Anand Persaud said in response that the newspaper’s report was based on information from persons who had attended the conference. He said it was clear that there was deep division in the party as evidenced by the invitation extended by one section of the party for the media to observe the process and the decision by another section of the party to completely exclude the media. Persaud said the PNCR could have avoided the doubts that were cast over the process by ensuring that the process was open to the media. Persaud added that the reported raucous behaviour was not inconsistent with recent party elections.

Recent internal elections of the PNCR have been riddled with acrimony and claims and counter-claims of rigging and strong-armed tactics. The source who spoke with Stabroek News on Sunday maintained yesterday the charges that the process from the registration of delegates to voting was “hijacked”. The source, who is familiar with the preparation for the polls and the proceedings, explained that preparations for the polls were centrally directed.

The source, who asked not to be named, said that despite a deadline for registration of delegates for the conference, persons were allowed to walk in at the conference and participate in the elections. Stabroek News had been told that while the members of 25 of 49 Georgetown groups renewed their membership, by the April 30 deadline only six registered. Subsequently, after the registration period was extended by two weeks, only three groups did so. Nonetheless, representatives of a majority of those groups which did not register turned up at the conference and demanded to be a part of the process and to vote.  Despite not registering, they were allowed to vote. Some groups had submitted names but delegates did not turn up to vote and other names were substituted and this was allowed. The source also said there was no secrecy of the ballot-a severe point of contention at recent party elections.

According to Kirton, voting was done in the open hall. He said persons voted directly but in the event that a delegate was absent, proxies sent by the districts were allowed to vote in their place, to ensure that no district was disenfranchised. He said that all aspects of the voting process were open to the scrutiny of the floor.

Meanwhile, the PNCR yesterday acknowledged that an elderly woman was physically assaulted at the conference by a member of the Guyana Youth and Student Movement, whom it named. As a result, General Secretary Oscar Clarke called on members of the gathering who witnessed the incident to submit written statements about what transpired, so that party investigations could begin forthwith. The party said its Disciplinary Committee would “expeditiously” deal with the case. Further, the incident was also reported to the police and action is to be pursued. “Whatever may be the alleged reasons for the assault, the PNCR considers this behaviour as totally unacceptable and inexcusable,” it said. In addition, it noted that PNCR leader Robert Corbin, using the power vested in him by the party constitution, announced the immediate suspension of the member accused of the assault until the hearing and determination of Sunday’s incident. Addressing the conference before it ended, he denounced the incident as “shameful, unacceptable and contrary to the well-known policy of the party,” which is totally against any form of violence and abuse against women in society.

The PNCR Regional Committee is to issue a separate statement on the conference, the party said.