With the 2011 general elections now a matter of mere months (how many months is anyone’s guess) away, members and supporters of the PNCR remain very much in the dark as to who will be their presidential candidate. We now know that it will not be Winston Murray who, up until several weeks ago, appeared, at least in some people’s view to be what the Americans refer to as a shoo in. Murray’s death digs a hole in the PNCR for a few important reasons. First, he would probably have attracted more bipartisan support than any of the remaining candidates; secondly, was a moderate with an open mind and a keen intellect; thirdly, he had both cabinet and campaigning experience. The aspirants for the presidential nomination left standing are deficient in one or another of the aforementioned areas.
On the other hand there are those who would argue that the delay in picking a candidate is perhaps a blessing in disguise since, had it been Murray the PNCR would now have had to choose all over again. Still, the PNCR is now sorely pressed for time since you would have to sightless not to recognize that the PPP/C is already well and truly out of the blocks as far as campaigning is concerned. Time is definitely not on Sophia’s side.
The PNCR has other things that it must think about. Like the fact that even though Corbin is the first leader of the party to rule himself out as its presidential candidate (mind you, other people had ruled him out long before he had done so) he remains Party Leader and is very much at the centre of the process to pick a presidential candidate.
Corbin’s position is something of an aberration in local, even Caribbean politics. If you lead a political party you are expected to be its presidential/prime ministerial candidate. If you either can’t or wouldn’t put yourself forward you would have to seriously consider whether you are the fittest person to lead. Corbin has now cast himself in the role of a kingmaker rather than a contender for the throne. The question is, therefore, how much elbow room would the PNCR’s presidential candidate have with the party leader hovering over him? These are interesting times for the PNCR.
