The 21st Biennial Delegates’ Congress of the People’s National Conference Reform (PNCR) has become another casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic according to General Secretary Amna Ally.
Asked recently by Stabroek News whether a date has been set for the congress which was last held in 2018, Ally said it would be “soon”. Asked to place a date to “soon”, she said that it depends on how the pandemic progresses.
“There is a pandemic and the PNCR doesn’t want to hold a congress and gather hundreds of people in one location. We have a number of other considerations and the ongoing pandemic is a primary consideration,” Ally explained about the delay. The last Congress provided a significant upset when long time Chair Basil Williams was roundly defeated by current chair Volda Lawrence.
When the results of the elections for party posts were officially announced sometime after 12:30 am on August 19 Returning Officer Hewley Griffith declared Lawrence the winner and informed that she had secured 346 votes against Joseph Harmon’s 287 and Williams received 183 votes.
Lawrence had also secured one of the two vice-chairmen positions with 244 votes along with Annette Ferguson who got 260. However, given that she was the winner in the Chairmanship race, the 2nd position went to Dr George Norton who got 242 votes.
Then President David Granger was returned unopposed as leader while Ronald Bulkan was also returned as the Treasurer unopposed.
With Lawrence receiving significant support from the party base and proving to be a hit on the 2020 campaign trail it was expected that she would have a significant role in the 12th Parliament.
Granger however did not select her for a seat in the National Assembly. In his position as representative of the Party list Granger snubbed Lawrence, Williams, Norton, Bulkan and General Secretary Amna Ally in favour of Harmon who is now Leader of the Opposition.
At any new congress it is expected that Lawrence is likely to challenge for leadership of the party and may come up against Harmon as Granger would be unlikely to run again.
