Dear Editor,
The PNC is not an insignificant political party in Guyana. It is a national party representative of Guyanese of all races. And it is not coincidental that a majority of Africans are its members and supporters. It has been that way from the beginning and I do not see it changing any time soon.
I cannot and shall not condemn the PNC outright or dismiss it totally, and have never done so in my public utterances. It would be foolish and contradictory to do that, while wearing the hat of an African rights defender.
To wish away the PNC and what it represents ideologically and to ignore its contributions to Guyana as a government, and what it symbolizes as a movement that influenced the politics and national development of our nation, in context, would be to say that African leaders and the African people in Guyana are total failures. That our history under the PNC points to that failure. I cannot agree with that.
The issue at hand is not to destroy the PNC or weaken it; I shall not be a part of that! You don’t completely break down an otherwise great structure, if all it needs is some interior repairs. If you are a builder and one who knows his work, you will erect your scaffolding inside and then you will begin to replace old pillars and posts that are shaky and weak, with newer and stronger ones; with modern and attractive ones.
Who are you to look at the troubles in the African house and say, destroy it and all that’s with it completely. To say that the PNC can never be overhauled to be better able to represent not only Africans but the nation as a whole is as defeatist as saying destroy America’s Republican Party because George Bush was once at the helm.
Let me be pellucidly clear on my position as it relates to where I stand on this PNC/APNU issue. Robert Corbin and David Granger must be completely removed from the leadership forthwith. They must be replaced by younger and qualified persons in the party who have a new vision of the way forward. This is achievable like never before, given recent occurrences. The PNC has never been short of great intellectuals. Some of the finest young intellectuals and visionaries in Guyana are right there within the ranks of that party. Yes, they were born into it and were taught early to accept the status quo and wait their turn. Yes, they love the party and wish to see it grow.
These young visionaries are awakening a new spirit in that party. Today, their agitations appear as divisive and troublesome. But old and shaky pillars must come down and be replaced.
I believe that this is achievable in the very near future. The old guard bubble has been busted right before our eyes. That is why we must be concerned with Sharma and Norton’s next step. This is why we must support and urge them on and let them know they are on the right side of history. They must continue to agitate. They must not accept the results of that Congress and must call for a new one.
Yes, history does not lie. Linden is the cradle of the revolution. But that revolution does not start outside of the African house. It starts from within. When we fix matters in our house then we are strong and prepared to save Guyana from the PPP.
Black people have suffered and all of Guyana is suffering under the PPP regime. Yes, I know that there are agents of the PPP inside the PNC. Yes, they are right up in the hierarchy too. They are coming down. There are agents of the PPP everywhere in Guyana.
The PPP and friends control the wealth of Guyana. Note, they control, not own it. So everything comes with a price and in our poverty some of our African brothers have been bought and are doing wrong things to each other. This will all change but Black leadership must come forward and be decisive. When I said I wish to see the PNC remain, I meant it. Let me further add, that I wish to see the PNC along with a grand coalition form a new government too.
There is a banging noise inside the African house. I can hear chipping and scraping sounds. It seems confusing but old pillars are coming down.
Yours faithfully,
Norman Browne
