-other parties disagree, Vincent Henry of GAP is new chair
Battling internal opposition with his party’s congress fast approaching, PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton faced another serious challenge when the APNU coalition the party had been instrumental in forming announced it had held a meeting and that Vincent Henry of GAP was the new chairman.
The stunning development came to notice after the PNCR issued a statement yesterday declaring that any purported election for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) was null and void. APNU had been the brainchild of former PNCR Leader and President David Granger. It was formed in July 2011 in order to contest the 2011 general elections and in addition to its main force, the PNCR, comprised smaller parties such as the Guyana Action Party, the Justice for All Party, the National Democratic Front and the Working People’s Alliance. APNU joined up with the AFC in 2015 and unseated the PPP/C government but before and after it lost office in 2020, it had been in disarray.
Yesterday, the PNCR, which said it held the position of chair and Norton was in the post, declared that he did not send out any notice for an APNU meeting or elections.
“What purports to be an APNU elections is unauthorized and null and void. As is well known, the APNU has no General Secretary since none was elected after the resignation of Mr Joe Harmon”, the PNCR thundered.
The party said that any claim that it had been invited to a meeting was totally untrue as it received no such invitation. Moreover, it said that there was no one with locus standi to send such an invitation even as it said it remained committed to the principles of coalition politics in Guyana.
The other members of APNU fired back at the PNCR yesterday.
According to an APNU statement last night, any member of the Executive Council has the right to request a meeting, and on 3rd June 2024, a letter calling for an immediate meeting of the APNU Executive Council was sent to Norton, via email. A reminder was also dispatched on 5th June 2024. According to reports from APNU, no excuse was received from PNCR for its absence, prompting the meeting to commence without their participation.
Countering to PNCR’s claim of not being notified about the meeting or elections, APNU asserts that meticulous efforts were undertaken to guarantee transparency and inclusivity throughout the process. It firmly rejects the assertion by the party, underscoring the significance of every member, including PNCR, within the partnership.
APNU issued letters that had been sent to the PNCR.
In the PNCR’s absence, the meeting pressed forward with an agenda aimed at outlining the Partnership’s future direction. It was agreed upon that pivotal leadership changes were imperative, entailing the selection of a fresh Chairperson and the occupation of the vacant General Secretary role. After a series of votes, Vincent Henry, leader of the Guyana Action Party, ascended to the position of APNU’s new Chairman.
Speaking with the Sunday Stabroek, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, the new General Secretary posited last night: “In terms of the General Secretary position. The role of The General Secretary is to assist the Chair in his duties as Chair of the APNU and I look forward to working with Vincent Henry, MP. I believe that he understands what is required as chair, where APNU is at now and where it needs to go. He believes in coalition politics and will work respectfully with all members of the partnership to ensure that we are ready for the 2025 General and Regional Elections.”
After Norton’s triumph in the PNCR leadership election in December 2021, he took over as the party’s Chairman, succeeding former President and APNU Chairman Granger, who eventually yielded to pressure to step down. Former Opposition Leader Harmon, who held the position of APNU’s General Secretary, was similarly encouraged to resign, which he did in 2022.
It was noted by APNU last night that the position of General Secretary remained vacant from 25th January 2022 until 6th June 2024, when a new General Secretary was finally elected. This gap in leadership is acknowledged as a challenge to the organizational coherence and integrity of the partnership.
Despite the rift and differences, APNU expressed its hope for collaborative efforts among all members to unseat the PPP/C in 2025, underscoring the shared goal of achieving political change in Guyana. The Partnership stressed the equal importance of all members and calls for unity in working towards common objectives.
Despite Norton’s refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of the newly elected APNU representatives, Sarabo-Halley affirms, “The newly elected body and the Executive Council of the APNU will continue to undertake the necessary steps to prepare APNU for the upcoming Regional and General elections.”
It is left to be seen now whether there will be any split in APNU in Parliament.
