Political leadership transitions can sometimes be full of drama. The transition to Desmond Hoyte after Burnham’s passing in 1985, was followed by the expulsion of its second most powerful leader, Hamilton Green, then a gradual but wholesale demolition the ‘left wing’ of the Peoples National Congress (PNC). Hoyte remained Party Leader until 2002, for the remainder of his life. Robert Corbin succeeded Hoyte without serious opposition. David Granger’s nomination by the PNCR as Presidential Candidate was orchestrated smoothly by Mr. Corbin, who stood down. After the PNCR, at the 2011 elections, with the Alliance for Change (AFC), brought the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) down to a minority and Granger announced that he would contest the position of Leader, Corbin did not contest and ensured Granger’s victory.
On Friday last SN reported, quoting an unnamed source, that the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the PNCR had deliberated on and passed two motions brought against Party Leader David Granger. At least one motion concerned the admittance of two recently formed, allegedly “shell parties,” Equal Rights and Justice Party and Guyana National Builders Movement, to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). It is not known what the other motion was about. On Saturday Mr. Granger denied that motions were passed against him at the meeting of the CEC on Thursday. As SN reported, the source amended the story. It was a faction of the CEC that met with members in districts and passed the motions.