-cite irregularities
After weeks of internal bickering and controversy, the PNCR’s plans for a long-awaited congress beginning today fell into further disarray after the two candidates challenging Aubrey Norton for leadership of the party withdrew, charging that there were irregularities in the process.
The withdrawals would mean that Norton will return to the leadership of the PNCR uncontested.
A day before the congress, shadow foreign affairs minister Amanza Walton-Desir was the first to withdraw. She announced the sudden suspension of her campaign for leadership citing concerns about the process which includes not receiving a list of delegates to allow for claims and objections. Further, she said that there is a lack of agreement among the candidates on the procedures for the elections.
She said, “This decision has been incredibly difficult, but it has been made after deep reflection and extensive discussions with my team and close advisors”, stressing that “throughout my campaign, I have been dedicated to upholding the values of transparency, fairness, decency and integrity within our beloved party.”
According to Walton-Desir, recent developments “which I am not at liberty to ignore” have raised serious concerns regarding the process. She explained that “As of the morning of June 27th, 2024, one day before the commencement of our Congress, a preliminary list of delegates has not been made available to me as a candidate to allow for claims or objections and further, there is a lack of agreement among all candidates contesting on the procedures for conducting the elections.”
These and several other issues necessitate careful consideration and resolution to ensure the continued integrity of our party, she said, adding that “while I believe it is vital to address these concerns, I also recognize the importance of doing so in a manner that preserves our unity and strength.”
To her supporters, she said “your unwavering belief in me and our shared vision has been my greatest strength. I am deeply grateful for your support and dedication.”
She also assured that although “I am suspending my campaign; our work does not end here. We must continue to advocate for the values we believe in and push for the changes our party needs. I encourage all members and supporters of the PNCR to remain united and steadfast during this challenging period. Our strength lies in our unity and our shared commitment to a better future for our party and our country.”
Together, she said that they can overcome any obstacle and ensure “that our principles guide us forward. Thank you for your understanding and continued support. Let us continue to work together for the betterment of our party and our nation.”
Riddled
Hours after Walton-Desir’s announcement, Roysdale Forde SC also pulled out in a surprise move.
In a statement, Forde said he refuses to participate in an electoral process riddled with irregularities hence his decision to suspend his campaign and acceptance of nominations for all positions nominated. “Today, I hereby formally suspend my candidacy and acceptance of all nominations for the positions to which I have been nominated by Party Groups across the country.”
He explained that his decision was based on the following reasons, which have “significantly impacted” his confidence in the integrity and fairness of the electoral process. Firstly, he is yet to receive a response to several written communications addressed to the Central Executive Committee and the General Secretary regarding concerns about the integrity of the electoral processes for the party’s elections.
Secondly, there have been noticeable “irregularities” concerning the list of delegates, which raise serious concerns about the transparency of the election process. Thirdly, “unreasonable” timelines have been imposed to meet certain requirements for holding the congress, which have placed undue pressure and constraints on the democratic process. And fourthly, members from various regions across the country have expressed dissatisfaction with the extremely limited time provided to organise logistics to attend and effectively participate in the Congress.
“Further, my decision is rooted in the fundamental principles of accountability, transparency and democratic governance, which I believe are essential for the integrity of the party’s electoral processes,” Forde added.
The statement also referenced the announcement on Monday, of the resignation of the party’s General Secretary, Dawn Hastings-Williams, which Forde opined was influenced by the lack of those very critical issues mentioned – transparency, accountability and internal democracy.
According to Forde, her resignation coupled with evidence of irregularities, and the expressed dissatisfaction of members demonstrate that the current electoral process has fallen woefully short of meeting even “rudimentary” standards necessary to uphold these principles.
He also asserted that it is imperative that the party’s internal elections adhere to the “highest standards of democratic practice” to ensure fairness and inclusivity, lamenting that the deficiencies observed in the process have made it clear that these standards have not been met.
“Therefore, after careful thought and consideration and with a heavy heart, I hereby suspend my candidacy for the positions nominated. I thank all the Groups, members and supporters of our Party for their confidence and support they demonstrated in me. It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the work, sacrifice and dedication of my team.
“I remain committed to the high values, ideals and goals of our party, set in place at its very core and at its very foundation by Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. I will continue to work towards fostering a democratic and inclusive political environment within the PNCR”, he said.
Forde urged the leadership and all members of the PNCR to reflect on the aforementioned concerns and take “decisive actions” to improve the party’s electoral processes moving forward. He posited, “The party’s strength lies in our commitment to democratic principles, and it is crucial that we uphold these principles in every aspect of our operations.”
The PNCR congress is set to commence today and run until Sunday with the elections of the party leadership to be included.
Ten regions
Party delegates and members from all ten regions will be attending Congress in person. There will be no virtual attendance, a statement from the PNCR had said in May.
In recent weeks, the PNCR has reeled from a series of setbacks. A Partnership for National Unity – the coalition that the PNCR had helped form – announced that it had elected new office bearers in the absence of the PNCR. This was rejected by Norton.
Days later, Norton was faced with accusations of sexual harassment by party member Vanessa Kissoon which he strenuously denied. This matter is being examined by party elders. In the interim charges and counter charges flowed among party members leading to acrimony on social media.
On June 24, just days before the congress was to start, party General Secretary Dawn Hastings-Williams resigned with immediate effect citing dissatisfaction with arrangements for the congress, financial matters and humiliating incidents.
In her resignation letter seen by Stabroek News, Hastings-Williams recounted a plethora of problems to Norton.
She said she disagreed that the congress could be called with just one month for planning. Other members of the PNCR have also complained about this.
“With all the administrative task that has to be undertaken by the secretariat, I believe that the one-month period for preparation for such a congress can lead to confusion rather than having a fair and transparent process and outcome. I am quite sure that you and the members of the CEC (Central Executive Committee) will agree with me that when the Congress is over it must conclude in a positive light”, Hastings-Williams said.
She also addressed shenanigans over membership of the party and humiliations she had suffered.
“…ever since my assumption of Office as the General Secretary, I have been attempting to correct this (membership) situation after I was informed that the external drive with all the information on the General membership was removed and perhaps destroyed and that the software on the computer (had) crashed. I can confirm the computer was eventually fixed sometime in late April or early May. And then you had the incident where the CPU (Central Processing Unit) was removed from the department without the General Secretary’s permission. This occurrence caused a delay for almost two weeks. Consequently, I cannot personally vouch for the accuracy of the records in this section. Additionally, I have received complaints from several groups and party members some in writing, that the records of the secretariat do not correspond with their previous submissions and that their membership register does not reflect their true membership”, Hastings-Williams, an APNU+AFC Member of Parliament, said.
She added: “Many members also claim that they have been unable or will be unable to meet the short deadlines set for the submission of the delegates and other information because of the short notice period for Congress. Consequently, I cannot substantiate or dismiss the accuracy of these claims especially when it was only Friday 21st June, the updated but not quite completed General Membership Register was handed over to the Administrator. Hence the need for corrections and changes will have to be done between the current time and the date of the Congress”, she stated.
Yesterday’s withdrawal of the two challengers to Norton deepens the internal divisions in the party and threatens to turn today’s proceedings into a farce.
