The main opposition’s effort to reconcile with former members was among the issues raised when PNCR Vice Chairman Basil Williams met recently with party groups in Washington DC and New York.
PNCR Whip Lance Carberry said on Friday that Williams briefed the groups on the state of the party, and in particular its recent efforts to formalise a broad partnership to contest next year’s elections. His encounters focused on preparations for the elections, its search for a presidential candidate as well as the party’s commitment to entering into alliances.
Williams along with party executive Florence Bourne, Carberry reported, also engaged the PNCR’s New York No. 1 Group, its Brooklyn Chapter and the its New Jersey Group at a meeting at the Cathryn Maculay High School in Brooklyn, New York. Among questions raised at the meeting were party members’ right to criticise the party without fear of recrimination, efforts to mend fences with Vincent Alexander, James McAllister, Winston Murray and Dr Richard Van West-Charles and bringing them on board the party’s programme of activities.
Stabroek News was told by a source close to the group that while there has been no structured dialogue towards reconciliation, they continue to be involved in the activities of the party in spite of their differences. “We participate in General Council and speak to issues,” the source said, while noting that the differences still needed to be resolved. The source added that a number of dissatisfied members continue to share their views with others within the party, saying that it is an approach that is not inimical to the democratic culture within the PNCR.
With the support of a slate of party executives in 2007, Alexander had challenged party leader Robert Corbin for the leadership. Concerns about the electoral process, however, saw his campaign aborted. He and several supporters subsequently withdrew from the party, following the parliamentary recall of McAllister, who was one of his supporters. Although he is not a member of the party, Alexander has disclosed that he is interested in becoming politically active once more within its ranks but not as the holder of any post.
Murray also challenged Corbin for leadership of the party last year, with the backing of Van West-Charles. Despite losing in the vote, Murray remains an MP for the party.
Meanwhile, Carberry said during Williams’ visit, there were also questions about whether the PNCR could win an election without a coalition, about the trustworthiness of the AFC, the party’s actions to empower its members, as well as concerns about “foot soldiers” on the ground on Election Day as well as the lack of leadership visits to Regions 1, 8 and 9. “[They] were again confronted by deep, searching questions from the party members, some of whom expressed their concerns about bringing back those comrades who had undermined the party’s electoral chances in the last general elections,” he explained. He did not identify those members who had undermined the party’s chances in 2006.
Carberry added that Williams assured members of the existence of democracy within the party’s forum but decried public excursions of party’s business, which could be harmful.
