Political confrontation would lead us nowhere, PNCR Chair and acting party leader Volda Lawrence told an event to celebrate the 64th anniversary of the party yesterday while former President and party leader, David Granger warned against factionalism.
In opening remarks to the event, Lawrence said: “Our actions must be set towards unification. We want to proceed in a way that will enable everyone to benefit – at least this should be our goal”.
Lawrence is the acting leader in the absence of Granger who has taken leave and was not present at yesterday’s event at Congress Place, Sophia. Granger was not mentioned in the opening remarks delivered by Lawrence and the party later issued a statement from him on the 64th anniversary.
He railed against factionalism.
He said: “Our Founder-Leader Forbes Burnham, at the Party’s First Biennial Delegates Congress in 1975, warned of the menace of factionalism:
`To be sponsoring and joining factions in the Party is to indulge in anti-Party activity calculated to weaken…the Party. There may be different motivations, some springing from personal ambition, others from a minority position firmly held. Whichever it may be, the objective result is undesirable and deleterious. Factions and factionalists are wittingly, or unwittingly, instruments of our enemies…’”
Granger added: “Our Founder-Leader was committed to …reinforcing the solidarity of our Party by knitting groups together, not splitting them apart; by building up, not breaking down; by multiplying – not dividing and subtracting – membership and to suppressing schisms, factionalism and opportunism”.
The PNCR is in the throes of a battle for leadership of the party that is seen as pitting Lawrence against Granger. After months of prevarication and wrangling, the party has agreed that its congress will be held no later than December 13th. It is expected that Lawrence will easily defeat Granger if he decided to contest.
Given her likely ascension to the post of leadership, observers yesterday saw her statement on the futility of political confrontation as an overture to the PPP/C. Under Granger and Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon there have been acrimonious relations with the governing PPP/C. Granger and Harmon have refused to recognise the PPP/C as the legitimate government and this has resulted in President Irfaan Ali declining to engage with Harmon on crucial constitutional matters.
In her remarks, Lawrence said it is important to reflect on the party’s history, acknowledging both its achievements and failures, while looking ahead to the bright prospects and the rejuvenation of the Party and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. She appointed out that the theme of the anniversary celebrations was `Learning from the past, Conquering the Future.’
“I wish to affirm today it is clear that political confrontation would lead us nowhere. Our actions must be set towards unification. We want to proceed in a way that will enable everyone to benefit – at least this should be our goal”, she said.
Lawrence also called for the expanding of the reach of the party.
“We must expand the reach of the PNCR and allow our principles and commitment to the people of Guyana to dominate the political realm and improve the lives of all Guyanese. From this historical starting point, our personal commitment as well as our responsibility to all of Guyana must include working to have a more organised and mobilised Party, united in its effort to advocate for its membership and all Guyanese”, she said.
Speaking about the upcoming Congress, she said: “Our Congress demonstrates our strength, our vivacity, and our dynamism. It demonstrates our unity and our vision. It shows the continuity of our work. Comrades, our Congress also holds a very important significance for our Party. Let me therefore, assure you comrades that no effort will be spared to ensure of your safety, as all factors have been considered and all necessary precautions will be taken”.
