Recently nominated ambassador to Venezuela and well-known People’s National Congress Reform member, Dr Richard Van West-Charles, says that he remains a member of the party and was not asked “a single question” by the government about his political affiliation during the nomination process.
“I haven’t resigned from the PNC. To those referring to me as ‘former member’, they are immature politicians and they don’t understand the priority of the country and what it demands. That is petty politics and they are petty,” Van West Charles told the Stabroek News on the sidelines of the recently concluded 2nd AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF), that he attended.
“In all of these things, Guyana has to always take the preeminent interest, as against the party interest. I am a Guyanese and that is my preeminent identity, and therefore when asked, I thought about it, spoke with my family, we agreed and here I am,” he added.
Searching his wallet for his PNC membership card, the son-in-law of late founder-leader of the PNC, Forbes Burnham, said that he was neither informed that he was no longer a party member nor did he request being pulled. “So [with] all the talk, I cannot be bothered,” he added.
According to the former head of the Guyana Water Authority, all his work has been for the betterment of Guyanese and he will continue to do so. “I am a Guyanese and at the end of the day I have to treat all Guyanese equal, whether I am PNC or who. That wouldn’t help our country. The country is at a juncture, where if you are Guyanese, you have to help,” he said
While not naming Van West-Charles, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton had told attendees at the PNCR’s 66th anniversary commemoration event, held at Congress Place, Sophia, Georgetown, last month that the party had made significant developmental strides when in office between 2015 and 2020. The water sector that Van West- Charles headed was highlighted, even as Norton distanced himself from the then GWI head, “Whatever we think about an ex-colleague, we did well in water. We ensured that Guyanese were getting water across the country 24/7,” he said.
Van West-Charles said he had learned that he was being referred to as a former member but “don’t really know where that is coming from because as far as I am concerned, I am still a member of the PNCR.”
He said that the public should know that his appointment to Venezuela was not a political one, as he was not asked about his past or current political affiliation or loyalties. “When the President spoke with me, not a single question about politics was asked. I was called in and the discussion was about what is best for Guyana…,” he stressed.
He said that he will continue to work, “in the best way possible” for his country.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd had told Stabroek News in September that Van West-Charles was chosen on merit as he was seen as the most suitable person for the job.
However, he is still to be given agrément by Caracas. “He was selected as we believe he is suitable,” Todd said. “We requested agrément and we are awaiting a response,” he added.
This newspaper had reached out to Van West-Charles for comment but he did not respond.
He explained that his silence was because he did not want “to turn the issue into a political matter”.
Todd had said that President Irfaan Ali was true to his commitment that the country’s priorities and nation- building triumph over political allegiance. “This is part of the inclusive governance structure that President Ali embraces,” he explained. “We want to be a government that is inclusive and we would also extend invitations to persons who are not from the PPP but who have the national interest over everything else at heart.”
Van West-Charles has been an executive member of both the PNC and the Alliance for Change (AFC).
In 2021 he entered the contest for leader of the PNCR, telling this newspaper in an interview that he wanted to be judged on his character and experience and not that of his deceased father-in-law.
A licensed physician who has worked in many countries and for years at the World Health and Pan-American Health organisations, Van West-Charles had said that when Burnham was president, his (Van West-Charles’) election to the executive of the PNC and his positions in government were never through nepotism but his qualifications.
Van West-Charles’ appearance at an Emancipation celebration at State House in August this year had signalled that there had been a rapprochement between him and the PPP/C and that some position would be in the offing.
He had stated that before the emancipation function, he had a meeting with President Ali “his friend” and “political colleague” who asked that he say a few words. “Well, those of us who have been in the political realm for a very long time know when the President asks you to do something you comply,” he said.
Stating that he had nothing prepared, Van West-Charles said he wanted to share something from the heart, stressing that it was good to see the celebration in culture to mark the observance of another Emancipation from slavery.
Van West-Charles added that it was also “good to reflect on the barbarous nature and the violence meted out to our ancestors and as the Jews do, because we are a part of humanity, we have to ensure that this is not repeated.”
He pointed out that Guyana has multiple ethnicities with the country’s motto being “One people, One nation, One destiny” and with Ali’s programmatic framework being ‘One Guyana’, “… it is important for us because it’s building a nation, it’s saying who we are and so as we mark the 185th anniversary of the abolition, we also are marking the 200th anniversary of the rebellion of 1823, all together with that of Barbados in 1816, together of that in Jamaica in 1831…”
Van West-Charles urged that as Guyana goes forward with its newfound resources and with a President such as Ali, committed to “our development” then not only must they celebrate but be “soldiers” in the field, in the office, in the factory “to say that we all must work hard to ensure that we benefit from the resources which our government is putting forward at this time.”
He stated that it is important that the government has put forward a number of programmes that are “directed to all of us. It is not only about marking the issue of the abolition of slavery, it is about how collectively we can create wealth for us as a country, create wealth for us as a family, create wealth as individuals and that is the direction we have to go because the development of this country is important in also leading the development of other nations who are close to us.”
In closing, Charles asked those in the gathering to turn to the person next to them, shake hands “and say there is nothing wrong in shaking my hand, let us move forward.”
Last year, Van West-Charles, who was appointed advisor to Leader of the PNCR Aubrey Norton, had seemed set to pull out from that post over concerns about poor communication and lack of consultation.
“I have therefore concluded that until the role of, and the process by which the advisor can function in a meaningful manner, critical to bringing value to our party is clarified, I have no other option than to offer to withdraw from the named position of advisor. I do wish to make a positive and effective contribution to the work of the party, but not as a casual or optional appendage,” Van West-Charles was reported to have said in his April 14, 2022 letter to the PNCR Leader.
