Former PNCR Vice-Chairman Vincent Alexander believes the party has managed to improve its internal elections process, but says more has to be done to ensure transparency and fairness.
“I would say that there were improvements from 2007 [when I contested] to 2011. But there are still areas that could see improvement. [Persons should not be able to vote for others who did not turn up],” Alexander said, when contacted by this newspaper on Sunday.
Alexander, who had made an aborted run to be PNCR leader, added that there needs to be greater scrutiny of the system and he is suggesting that a photo ID be required of prospective voters. “There must be a correlation between the number of people at the Congress and the number of votes cast,” he said.
Alexander also cautioned against people who have an interest in the contest having a hand in the elections machinery. He said that there might be the need for an independent agency not only to tally the results but also to manage the voting process.
In February last year, the PNCR special congress that saw David Granger being elected as its presidential candidate was noted for being without problems that dogged previous internal party elections. Among the requirements at those elections was having attendees presenting photo identification when registering, which the party indicated would be used for other congresses if the procedure was successful. Although the results were accepted, former party executive Dr Faith Harding did subsequently accuse the PNCR of running an unfair primary process that favoured Granger over the other contestants.
According to Alexander, the party must undergo a regime change of its leadership. He also believes incumbent leader Robert Corbin’s decision against contesting in the elections clears the way for this to begin.
Stabroek News understands that the main contenders for the post of PNCR leader are David Granger and Carl Greenidge, while Basil Williams, Aubrey Norton and Volda Lawrence are also said to be possible contenders. This newspaper was told that the announcement of the results of the nomination process has been further delayed and that it would come in a week’s time.
Contacted for a comment on Sunday, Granger said that the process which was started some weeks ago has been progressing smoothly and he has heard no complaints about it. He said all of the committees and sub-committees are working as they should.
Granger said he expects 1,000 delegates and observers to the Congress. He confirmed too that he has received a letter from the General Secretary of the party Oscar Clarke. He said the Central Executive Committee will have a meeting this week and it is likely that the release of the results of the nomination process is predicated upon that meeting.
The nominations for the posts of leader of the PNCR and other positions would have been submitted by June 15, 2012.
Meanwhile, Norton has suggested that there is a new modus operandi in the party where the Leader of the Opposition is focused on the parliamentary side of things while the leader of the party will focus on rebuilding the party and strengthening its base.
Norton also believes Greenidge and Granger should work together to strengthen the opposition and build a stronger PNCR.
Norton said that the days of the “maximum leader” are over and that there should be a number of persons in the party, all of whom have influence and all of whom have constituencies.
Granger, in an earlier interview, said he believed the positions of party leader and APNU leader should be unified and he confirmed that he will be contesting for the leadership position in the PNCR.
Alexander said that who the party leader is should be a matter of who has the best platform and who seems best poised to take the party forward. He said that the party has to get back on the ground and rebuild itself. He said too that the party has to define its relationship with main opposition APNU—of which the PNCR is the largest constituent—and forge a definition of what the coalition is in the future landscape of the country.
At a General Council Meeting on March 2, the PNCR announced that it would be holding its Congress from July 27-29. The theme of the Congress is ‘A United PNCR Securing Our Future through a Government of National Unity.’
