The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) has decided to postpone its 21st Biennial Congress, initially slated for December 11, by one-week.
Vincent Alexander
In a brief statement, the party this afternoon said its Central Executive Committee (CEC) decided at a meeting today that “in the interest of ensuring transparency, democracy and fairness to all its members, delegates and officials,” its 21st Biennial Delegates Congress will be held on Saturday 18th December 2021.
The decision follows the finding of Vincent Alexander, the Election Officer for the Congress, that the party was not prepared to go forward with the polls tomorrow. It is also in keeping with the advice of Alexander, who indicated in a report to the CEC that the Congress could be held on December 18, once certain preparations are made.
Alexander was tasked with assessing and reporting on the party’s state of readiness to hold the polls.
Three members of the Accreditation Committee for the Congress — Ganesh Mahipaul, Annette Ferguson and Carol Joseph-Smith — resigned last week after questions of conflict of interest were raised at a meeting of the CEC. Mahipaul is openly campaigning for Joseph Harmon for leader of the Party while Joseph-Smith is backing Aubrey Norton for the post.
The Accreditation Committee is responsible for accrediting delegates to vote in the elections and according to sources within the party, the process is far from nearing completion. While some party members are awaiting their accreditation, others are expressing concerns over the list of delegates.
A reliable source had related that a motion, requesting a review of the systems in place for the congress, was moved at the committee level on Friday by member Ferguson.
The party held its nomination day on November 12. Delegates nominated their choices for major leadership roles – Party Leader, Chairman, Vice-Chair and CEC members.
Current Chairperson of the Party, Volda Lawrence, Basil Williams SC, Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon, Aubrey Norton, Dr Richard Van-West Charles, Carl Greenidge and Sharma Solomon are the nominees for the post of Party Leader. Thus far, Williams, Harmon, Norton and Van-West Charles have accepted their nominations are openly campaigning.
While Solomon reportedly declined the nomination and thrown his support behind Van-West Charles, there have been silence from Lawrence and Greenidge.
The party said that its elections will be conducted in two stages, with the results for each stage being declared before moving on to the next. Stage one would see the election of the Leader, Chairman, two Vice-Chairpersons and Treasurer while the second stage is for the election of members to the Central Executive Committee.
With the coronavirus pandemic and its limitation on large gatherings, the PNCR would be hosting simultaneous elections across the country at approved locations.
