Dear Editor,
I have been a member of the People’s National Congress Reform for the past twenty-two years and I can say without fear of contradiction that the last two congresses of 2012 and 2014 were the most vulgar and despicable events in the party’s fifty-seven year history.
Congresses are nostalgic moments for party members; they create an environment for building camaraderie with comrades from across the country, who share experiences while in the field and best practices in political work. They recommit and rededicate themselves to the party and most of all make critical decisions to chart the political course of the party for the next two years. Unfortunately these virtues have eluded the planners and leaders of our great party on the last two occasions.
However, some phenomenal things occurred prior to, during and immediately after the just concluded congress that in my view signal that there is still hope for future of the party but which have escaped the attention of the media and political analysts.
These events commenced with the diligent and tireless pursuit by the Regional Chairman, Mr Sharma Solomon and team up to the ninth hour, to get the party leadership to create an even playing field and stick to the rules of the party as a means of bolstering the party image. These efforts clearly demonstrated that no longer were young people prepared to sit with their hands folded and a finger on their lips and accept mediocrity and a blatant disregard for the rules.
Then despite the impending disenfranchisement a group of energetic, creative and passionate young people from Linden began creating posters capturing relevant quotations from the speeches of former leaders of the party to illustrate the point that the PNC was built on the shoulders of great men and women whose adumbrations are still relevant and can be used as a point of reference for resolving present challenges. One such quotation was from the late President Hugh Desmond Hoyte, who in his 13th Biennial Congress address of 2002 stated “Change is as necessary a part of politics as it is of life. Those who do not change become dinosaurs, irrelevant and eventually extinct. If we do not adapt to new circumstances, new challenges and new responsibilities we cannot survive, much less overcome.”
The extension of a hand of comradeship by Ms Vanessa Kissoon MP to General Secretary Oscar Clarke clearly signalled that she harbours no hostility towards her colleague and that she saw the issue as one where she was expressing her view; they disagreed on those issues and she had moved on with no animosity between them.
The final phenomenon that attracted my attention was while the appointed leaders of the new executive of the party at a post-congress press conference, were busy digging in their heels, establishing authority, dismissing credible claims by party members and passing the buck in relation to the causes of the occurrences with spurious and puerile statements, Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon rose to the occasion and outlined a way forward for the party, emphasizing the need to resolve the present challenges, strengthen the party, prepare it for the next general and regional elections, give the required leadership and most of all unite the party.
These occurrences clearly illustrate that a bright future for the PNC is still assured despite the desperate and vulgar attempts by some in the present leadership to suppress opposing views, marginalize young leaders, cling to control of the party at all costs and manipulate processes. A group of visionary and pragmatic young leaders are still prepared to put their shoulders to the wheel, swim against the tide, defy all odds and to work in the best interest of the party, its membership and the people of Guyana.
Interestingly, Mr Sharma who is the eldest of all the persons involved in the illustrations mentioned above is thirty-five, twenty-six and forty-five years the junior of Brigadier (rtd) Granger, Mr Basil Williams and General Secretary, Mr Oscar Clarke respectively. Thus he has age, energy, a committed constituency and a fertile political brain that will be an asset to the party long after these leaders.
The resolve by these emerging leaders should not and must not go unnoticed and they should be assured of our support.
Yours faithfully,
Bevon Currie
