APNU parliamentarian Vanessa Kissoon says that she remains committed to the PNCR even as she continues to disregard a recommendation by the party’s Disciplinary Committee to apologise to its General Secretary Oscar Clarke after she was involved in an altercation with him.
“I have been approached by groups and individuals. However, I am not a quitter or a pushover and at this stage prefers to redouble my efforts in working with others within the party to ensure the PNCR is seen as the best political alternative,” Kissoon recently told Stabroek News.
She said that her current focus is to continue her commitment to the party and to “respect the rules” within the party’s structures. However, Kissoon is yet to respond to the Committee’s recommendations which were stated in an email from PNCR leader David Granger following the party’s 18th Biennial Congress held from July 25-27.
Following an altercation between Kissoon and Clarke at the party’s Congress Place headquarters in Sophia, Kissoon was suspended from the party and refused to appear before a Disciplinary Committee citing several reasons including that the process was not fair.
Subsequently, she was written to after the Committee considered the matter. Stabroek News understands that the Committee called on Kissoon to write a letter of apology to Clarke. Kissoon revealed that following the recommendation that was issued and sent to her by Granger, the Linden PNCR Committee headed by Leslie Gonsalves wrote to Granger in relation to Kissoon’s apology, seeking to determine what exactly she was apologising for as well as the continued issues faced by the party’s Region 10 constituents.
The recommendations made by the Disciplinary Committee and the lack of follow through by the party’s leadership has painted what critics say is a lackadaisical approach by the PNCR in dealing with internal matters. The party leaders from the onset had stressed that the matter was of the utmost seriousness. However, months after the incident and with little follow through, a letter of apology was the only recommendation made by the Disciplinary Committee and there is little evidence to suggest that it is being enforced by the leadership.
Kissoon said that she was appreciative of the support given to her by the Region 10 PNCR members inclusive of the National Congress of Women (NCW). Lotoya Williams an active member of the PNCR’s women’s branch had previously voiced the body’s support of Kissoon during a press briefing prior to the Congress.
Stabroek News understands that the NCW is still committed to Kissoon and has requested that the Region 10 Committee press Granger on what exactly Kissoon is to apologize for and if her ongoing suspension means that Kissoon should not be participating in any NCW activities.
Kissoon said that barring her suspension, she continues to see a future within the party. She said that as a teacher she knows that her future will always be in the realm of activism and fighting for women’s and children’s rights and for now, she sees the party as a venue to keep promoting those rights.
The parliamentarian said that that for now, she would not be responding to Granger until the Region 10 Committee receives a response. The party has been criticised internally for actions taken against Kissoon as none were taken against Clarke. The party’s handling of Kissoon’s suspension has been marred by what many critics have noted was a lack of cohesion. Kissoon’s suspension was one of the many reasons the PNCR delegates from Linden chose to protest at the opening of the Congress in July.
Following the altercation between Kissoon and Clarke, Kissoon was notified of her suspension via an email dated June 24. The altercation was fuelled by differences over the use of the PNCR office in Linden. Apparently, locks on the facility were changed leading to the altercation. For her part, Kissoon has remained adamant that she was not charged with keeping any keys for the Linden offices.
When asked by Stabroek News about her current level of involvement in PNCR matters in Region 10, Kissoon noted that she did not at this time want to discuss that issue. Stabroek News, however, has been reliably informed that Region 10 operations are “business as usual” while the regional representatives are still actively urging the party’s leadership to make more of an effort to meet and discuss regional issues prior to the calling of general elections.
Kissoon is seen as a highly active regional leader within the party and as a stand-alone community activist.
