Five executive members of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) have stepped forward to defend party leader David Granger against accusations that he is attempting to turn the party into a “one man show.”
In a statement issued by the party on Saturday, Jennifer Ferreira-Dougal and Annette Ferguson, two of 15 Congress-elected members of the PNCR Central Executive Committee (CEC), along with Shurwayne Holder; Ganesh Mahipaul and Ernest Elliott, the regional representatives for regions Two, Three and Four, respectively, contend that the elected members of the CEC were “dismayed” by an unsigned and unauthorised statement containing the allegations against Granger.
“We denounce, most emphatically, the personal attacks against our constitutionally-elected Party Leader, Mr. David Granger, by a minority of persons who did not have the courage to affix their names to the ‘Statement’ but who claimed, cowardly, to write on behalf of the entire CEC,” they stated, adding that the CEC had not reached a decision on the issue which the “minority” has complained about.
They contended that the decision by opposition coalition APNU—of which the PNCR is the largest member— to include two new parties was made by the APNU executive at a meeting to which PNCR Chair Volda Lawrence was invited but did not attend.
“APNU executive members deliberated and collectively and unanimously approved the applications of the Equal Rights and Justice Party by its leader Mr. Jaipaul Sharma and the Guyana Nation Builders Movement by its leader, Mrs. Tabitha Sarabo-Halley,” the five members stress.
Sunday Stabroek once again attempted to reach all 15 elected members of the CEC with limited success. Genevieve Allen, Former Region Four Chair, told this newspaper that no one had contacted her for input on either of the statements.
“I’ve just seen the posts on Facebook. I know nothing about either statements,” she explained, while Mortimer Mingo, Former Region 10 Chair, stated that he only discusses party business with members of the party.
Former Minister of Citizenship, however, Winston Felix stepped forward to support the initial statement that had criticised Granger’s actions. “I endorse that statement. I rely on every aspect of that statement,” he told this newspaper last evening.
Felix joins party chair Lawrence and executives Richard Van West Charles and Aubrey Norton in publicly supporting the condemnation of actions taken by Granger. All four are elected members of the CEC.
Last Thursday, an unsigned statement, which has since been publicly endorsed by some executives, maintained that the party did not endorse the inclusion of these “shell parties” in APNU, while claiming that the CEC had actually directed Granger and PNCR General Secretary Amna Ally to put on hold any further involvement of the PNCR with the APNU until the status of that Partnership was fully discussed and decisions on the way forward are taken.
“The Statement issued is legitimate and correct. The matter was discussed at our last CEC where both the Leader and General Secretary were present and they, like all members present, did not object to the CEC Decision. I therefore endorse the statement by the CEC,” Lawrence communicated to Stabroek News on Friday.
Despite this mandate, Granger publicly advertised that the PNCR has accepted these two parties as part of the APNU. The former president is accused of further disregarding a reminder by “affixing the symbols of these two non-approved parties onto a programme purported to be that of the APNU for its 10th Anniversary Celebrations.”
In his address at the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the APNU on Thursday, Granger twice acknowledged the two contested parties, declaring that APNU encourages the formation of small parties.
Lawrence, who had not been selected for the current Parliament by Granger, was noticeably absent.
Following Granger’s snub of Lawrence and several other senior PNCR members for a seat in the 12th Parliament, a keen power struggle began to take shape within the party.
It is expected that once the delayed congress is finally held, the current leader will face strong opposition from the well supported Chair and several others.
According to the party structure the Party Leader, Chairman, Vice Chairman and fifteen (15) members of the Executive Committee are elected at the Biennial Congress. Ten members are co-opted to the Central Executive by the Leader and other elected members. In addition each of the party’s 10 regions elects a representative to the CEC, and the Chairpersons of the Youth and Women arms of the party are also CEC members.
